United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced that the UN will reduce its budget by 15.1 percent and cut its workforce by 18.8 percent in 2026, as unpaid contributions from member states climb to a staggering $1.59 trillion.
The UN chief unveiled the organization’s budget for the upcoming year on Monday, setting it at $3.24 billion—a decrease of $577 million compared to 2025. According to a separate UN statement, the shortfall is largely due to outstanding dues from the United States, China, Russia, and Mexico as of September.
Guterres emphasized that the budget for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) will remain unaffected due to the intense humanitarian demands in Palestine.
“I made the decision to exempt UNRWA from any reductions that would have dramatic consequences on the backbone of the entire humanitarian response in Gaza,” Guterres said. He also confirmed that funding for the “Development Account and advocacy for Africa’s development” will remain unchanged at 2025 levels.
To offset the shortfall, the UN plans to cut 2,681 positions across various UN agencies. Guterres explained that these cuts “correspond to functions that, in our opinion, can be done better by others or can be reduced by efficiencies.” Currently, around 18 percent of UN posts are already vacant due to the organization’s ongoing liquidity crisis stemming from unpaid member contributions and other debts. He clarified that these vacancies are not directly related to the positions targeted for elimination.
“Those vacancies do not correspond to a political decision oriented by a strategic priority, but simply by the fact that people left, and we do not have the money to pay for the replacement because of the liquidity crisis,” he stated.
Additionally, the budget for special political missions will be reduced to $543.6 million in 2026, down $149.5 million, or 21.6 percent, from the previous year. These reductions will be achieved by closing some missions and scaling back operations of others.
Guterres also noted that the UN has been gradually reducing its footprint in New York, where the headquarters is located amid some of the world’s most expensive commercial real estate. The organization plans to terminate two leases in New York by late 2027, saving $24.5 million annually starting in 2029. Since 2017, the UN has already saved $126 million by closing other New York offices.
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