UN Approves Budget Cuts for 2026

Bloomberg: UN Approves Sharp Cuts in 2026 Budget Amid Financial Turmoil

The United Nations has approved a 7% reduction in its budget from last year as the organization grapples with a financial crisis driven largely by the refusal of the US to pay what it owes. The UN General Assembly on Tuesday voted to adopt an operating budget of $3.45 billion Tuesday for 2026, down from $3.72 billion this year, to fund administrative and operational activities.

The reduction, which includes cutting 2,900 positions, comes as the UN tries to cut costs wherever it can. Earlier this month, the organization announced that it would no longer provide paper towels at the restrooms in its global headquarters in New York.

Now, here’s me thinking less bureaucracy would be a good thing. But I guess that’s just naïve of me. I also don’t get these maths, though:

Guterres, who has been working on a financial survival plan for the UN for months, suggested cutting the budget by $577 million and slashing 18% of jobs. He cited arrears from past years — most of which is owed by US — for the drastic measures.

The US usually contributes 22% of the UN’s regular budget, but the Trump administration has not paid the $826 million bill for 2025 and it still owes some $660 million in arrears. On Monday, the US pledged $2 billion to the organization’s humanitarian arm.

So, the US owes them about $1.4 billion and will pay $2 billion? Sounds to me like they should increase the budget, since they are getting more than half a billion more now? Unless they are anticipating more cuts from the US for 2026. But why is this not mentioned in the story then? This is probably why I didn’t study economics. I don’t understand this shit…

Unless the whole point of the story is just TRUMP BAD!!! as always.

President Donald Trump has accused the the UN of wasting taxpayer dollars, and US officials in his second term have embarked on an effort to bring the organization “back to basics.”

“It’s time for the UN to get back to basics: stopping wars and preventing conflict, NOT funding bloated bureaucracy on the American taxpayer’s dime.”

I actually think that would be quite reasonable. But as I’ve already said: What do I know?