U.N. eyes budget and job cuts for 2026 as U.S. scales back aid
The United Nations Secretariat is preparing to cut its $3.7 billion budget by 20% and slash about 6,900 jobs, according to an internal memo.
The directive, which asks staff to detail cuts by June 13, comes amid a financial crisis triggered in part by the United States, which annually funds nearly a quarter of the world body.
In addition to U.S. foreign aid cuts under U.S President Donald Trump that have gutted U.N. humanitarian agencies, the U.S. owes — for arrears and the current fiscal year — nearly $1.5 billion.
The memo's author, U.N. Controller Chandramouli Ramanathan, did not cite the U.S. failure to pay. He noted that the cuts are part of a review launched in March dubbed "UN80."
"It is an ambitious effort to ensure that the United Nations is fit for purpose to support 21st-century multilateralism, reduce human suffering and build better lives and futures for all," Ramanathan said. "I count on your cooperation for this collective effort whose aggressive timelines are recognized."
The cuts would take effect Jan. 1, the start of the next budget cycle.
In public briefings to U.N. diplomats this month, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he is considering a massive overhaul that would merge major departments and shift resources across the globe. He said the U.N. may consolidate some agencies, trim others, move staff to cheaper cities, cut duplication and eliminate redundant bureaucracy.
In public briefings to U.N. diplomats this month, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he is considering a massive overhaul that would merge major departments and shift resources across the globe. |
reuters
"These are times of peril, but they are also times of profound opportunity and obligation," Guterres said on May 12. "Make no mistake: uncomfortable and difficult decisions lie ahead. It may be easier and even tempting to ignore them or kick the can down the roads. But that road is a dead end."
The U.S. failure to pay its assessments has also created a liquidity crisis for the U.N., a problem exacerbated by China's repeated late payments. Together, the two nations account for more than 40% of U.N. funding.
In addition, the Trump administration has withdrawn hundreds of millions of dollars in discretionary funds, forcing the abrupt halt of dozens of humanitarian programs that U.N. officials have said will cost lives. The proposed U.S. budget for the coming year, which must be approved by Congress, has eliminated or drastically reduced funding for several U.N. programs, including peacekeeping.
A U.S. State Department spokesperson did not comment on the proposed U.N. cuts, but said a Trump-ordered study was due by early August. "Funding for the U.N., along with other international organizations, is currently under review,' the spokesperson said.
In April, Tom Fletcher, who leads the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, told employees that U.S. funding cuts would force the agency to trim 20% of its staff to address a shortfall of $58 million.
Richard Gowan, U.N. director at the International Crisis Group, said it was unclear if the cuts will affect the Trump administration position.
"Diplomats think that Guterres hopes that if he shows he will make these cuts, then the administration will ease off on their threats to zero out funding for the U.N.,' Gowan said.
"That's possible. It's also possible that the administration will just pocket the cuts and not make any concessions.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Japan Times
6 hours ago
- Japan Times
Two days of terror: How the Minnesota shooter evaded police and got caught
Vance Boelter's disguise wasn't perfect. The silicone mask was somewhat loose-fitting and his SUV's license plate simply read "POLICE" in black letters. But it was good enough on a poorly lit suburban street in the dead of night. At 2:36 a.m. on June 14, 30 minutes after authorities say Boelter shot and seriously injured Minnesota state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, he paused behind the wheel of the SUV near the home of another senator, Ann Rest, in the city of New Hope. The SUV was stocked with weapons, including AK-47 assault rifles, as well as fliers advertising a local anti-Donald Trump rally scheduled for later Saturday and a written list of names of people he appeared to be targeting. Sen. Rest, prosecutors would later say, was among those Boelter set out to kill on June 14. As Boelter sat in the SUV down the street from Rest's home, another police car — this one an actual police car — approached. A female officer from the New Hope police department, after hearing about the Hoffman shootings, had come out to check on Rest. Seeing the SUV, complete with flashing lights and police-style decals, she believed the man inside was a fellow officer. But when she attempted to speak to him — one officer greeting another — she got no response. Instead, the man inside the SUV with police markings simply stared ahead. The New Hope officer drove on, deciding to go ahead and check on Rest. Rest would later say the New Hope officer's initiative probably saved her life, an opinion shared by New Hope Police Chief Timothy Hoyt. "With limited information, she went up there on her own to check on the welfare of our senator," Hoyt said. "She did the right thing." The brief interaction in New Hope underscored the carefully planned nature of Boelter's pre-dawn rampage and how his impersonation of a police officer, including body armor, a badge and a tactical vest, confounded the initial attempts to stop him. After the encounter with the New Hope officer, Boelter, 57, drove away from the scene, moving on to his next target. Police would pursue him for another 43 hours. In the process, they would draw in a phalanx of state and federal agencies, in what ranks as the largest manhunt in Minnesota history and added to the sense of disorientation in a nation already grappling with protests over immigration, the forcible removal of a U.S. senator from a news conference and a rare military parade in Washington. Federal prosecutors say they may seek the death penalty for Boelter, who has been charged with murdering two people and trying to kill two others, in what Gov. Tim Walz has called a "politically motivated" attack. Prosecutors said they are still investigating the motive and whether any others were involved. Boelter has yet to enter a plea. Manny Atwal, a public defender representing Boelter, said he was reviewing the case and declined to comment. This reconstruction of the manhunt is based on court documents, statements by law enforcement officials, and interviews with a Boelter friend, local police officers, lawmakers, and residents of the impacted neighborhoods. Police establish a security perimeter on June 14 near the residence of senior Democratic state assemblywoman Melissa Hortman after she and her husband were shot and killed earlier in the day. | Reuters While the events unfolded like something out of a TV crime drama, there were parallels with past shooting sprees, criminal justice experts said. James Fitzgerald, a former FBI criminal profiler, said he would not be surprised if Boelter studied a mass shooting in Canada in 2020, when a gunman posing as a police officer killed 22 people in the province of Nova Scotia. "These guys always do research beforehand. They want to see how other killers were successful, how they got caught," said Fitzgerald, who helped the FBI capture the "Unabomber" Ted Kaczynski in 1996. "And, of course, a way you're going to buy yourself some time is to pose as a police officer." Hoffman shooting The violence began at the Hoffman's brick split-level home in Champlin, a leafy, middle-class suburb of Minneapolis. With his emergency lights flashing, Boelter pulled into the driveway just after 2:00 a.m. and knocked on the door. "This is the police. Open the door," Boelter shouted repeatedly, according to an FBI affidavit. Sen. Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, soon determined Boelter was not a real police officer. Boelter shot Sen. Hoffman nine times, and then fired on Yvette, who shielded her daughter from being hit. As Boelter fled the scene, the daughter called 911. The Hoffmans were on a target list of more than 45 federal and state elected officials in Minnesota, all Democrats, acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson told a briefing on Monday. Boelter voted for Trump, was a Christian and did not like abortion, according to his part-time roommate, David Carlson. Carlson said Boelter did not seem angry about politics. Thompson said Boelter "stalked his victims like prey" but that the writings he left behind did not point to a coherent motive. "His crimes are the stuff of nightmares," he said. "His crimes are the stuff of nightmares," Thompson said. After the Hoffman's, the next address plugged into Boelter's GPS system was a lawmaker about 14 kilometers away in the Minneapolis suburb of Maple Grove. Surveillance cameras from the home of state Rep. Kristin Bahner show a masked Boelter ringing the doorbell at 2:24 a.m. and shouting "Open the door. This is the police. We have a warrant," the FBI affidavit says. Bahner and her family were not home. From there, Boelter moved on to New Hope and the close encounter with the officer who had dispatched to Rest's home. After that, he wasn't seen by police again until he arrived at the residence of Melissa Hortman, the top Democrat in the state House, in Brooklyn Park. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz wipes away tears at a vigil outside the Minnesota State Capitol on Wednesday. | Reuters Sensing that Hortman might be a target, Brooklyn Park police officers had decided to check on her. When they arrived at 3:30 a.m. they saw a black Ford Explorer outside her house, its police-style lights flashing. Boelter was near the front door. When Boelter saw the officers exit their squad car, he fired at them. He then ran through the front door of the house, where he killed Melissa and Mark Hortman, her husband. When Boelter left the Hortman's home, he abandoned his fake police SUV. Inside the car, police found a handgun, three AK-47 assault rifles, fliers advertising a local anti-Trump "No Kings" rally and a notebook with names of people who appear to have been targets, according to court documents. From that point, Boelter was on the run. Little has been revealed about his movements during the period, although police say he visited his part-time residence in north Minneapolis. He also sent texts. In one, to his family's group chat, Boelter writes, "Dad went to war last night." In another, to a close friend, Boelter says he may be dead soon. Police also know that by early morning on Saturday, Boelter had met a man at a Minneapolis bus stop who agreed to sell him an e-bike and a Buick sedan for $900. The two drove to a bank where Boelter withdrew $2,200 from his account. A security camera shows Boelter wearing a cowboy hat. But it took until 10:00 a.m. on Sunday for authorities to close in. Police searching the area near Boelter's family home in the rural community of Green Isle discovered the abandoned Buick, along with a cowboy hat and handwritten letter to the FBI in which Boelter admitted to the shootings, prosecutors said. Law enforcement scrambled to set up a perimeter surrounding the area, SWAT teams and search dogs were deployed, and drones were put in the air. It was the trail camera of a resident, however, that provided the final clue, capturing an image of Boelter around 7:00 p.m., allowing officers to narrow their search. Two hours later, the pursuit ended with Boelter crawling to police. He was armed but surrendered without a fight.
Japan Times
11 hours ago
- Japan Times
Dodgers pledge $1 million to support families impacted by U.S. immigration raids
The Los Angeles Dodgers have committed $1 million toward direct financial assistance for families of immigrants impacted by the surge in detentions and deportations in the region, the team announced on Friday. The Dodgers will partner with the city to get the money to those in "critical need," with more announcements expected in the coming days involving local community and labor organizations. The baseball team, which has a large Latino fan base, aims to expand its outreach through these partnerships. The news comes two weeks after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents began raids across the city, leading to calls from some Dodgers fans for the team to take a stand against the federal government's mass deportation efforts. "What's happening in Los Angeles has reverberated among thousands upon thousands of people, and we have heard the calls for us to take a leading role on behalf of those affected," Dodgers President and CEO Stan Kasten said in a statement. "We believe that by committing resources and taking action, we will continue to support and uplift the communities of Greater Los Angeles." The team stopped short of calling for an end to the raids, something a coalition of over 50 community, labor, faith, and immigrant rights leaders had asked for them to do in a petition sent to the ball club earlier in the day. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass thanked the Dodgers for supporting the city's immigrant community. "These last weeks have sent shock waves of fear rippling through every neighborhood and have had a direct impact on our economy," Bass said in a statement. "My message to all Angelenos is clear: We will stick together during this time and we will not turn our backs on one another — that's what makes this the greatest city in the world." Friday's announcement comes a day after the Dodgers said they had denied ICE agents access to the parking lot at Dodger Stadium. A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, which includes ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, said on Thursday that CBP vehicles used the parking lot briefly and that their presence "had nothing to do with the Dodgers." The raids have sparked street protests, which in turn prompted U.S. President Donald Trump to send in the National Guard and U.S. Marines to protect federal personnel and property, fueling more protests and tension. The Dodgers, coming off a World Series championship in 2024, are a cultural icon in Los Angeles. Their Latino fan base has been a large part of the team's identity at least since the "Fernandomania" craze surrounding Mexican-born pitcher Fernando Valenzuela in the early 1980s. The professional soccer clubs LAFC and Angel City FC have issued statements of support for immigrants but otherwise the city's sports franchises have refrained from commenting. The Dodgers said they hoped that their action would "encourage organizations in a similar position to use their resources to directly support the families and workers who have suffered economic hardship."
Japan Times
14 hours ago
- Japan Times
Can NATO keep Trump on-message about Russia threat?
When leaders from NATO's 32 countries gather for a summit in The Hague next week, most want to send a clear message: Russia is the main threat to their alliance. But the loudest voice in the room likely won't be on the same page. Since coming back to office, U.S. President Donald Trump has upended the West's approach toward Russia's war on Ukraine by undercutting Kyiv and opening the door to closer ties with Moscow. While the volatile leader has expressed some frustration with Russia's Vladimir Putin for refusing a ceasefire, he has steered clear of punishing the Kremlin. At a Group of Seven summit this week Trump made waves by saying the group of industrialized countries should never have expelled Russia. Ahead of the Hague gathering, diplomats at NATO have been wrangling over a five-paragraph summit statement, with many countries pressing for a full-throated assertion of the menace from Moscow. That, they say, will help explain the main thrust of the meeting: an agreement for countries to ramp up defense spending to satisfy Trump's demand for it to reach 5% of GDP. Since the Kremlin launched its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the alliance has called Russia "the most significant and direct threat to allies' security and to peace and stability in the Euro-Atlantic area." But this time around the United States — backed up by Moscow-friendly Hungary and Slovakia — has been intent on watering that down. Diplomats have been juggling with variants such as referring to "threats, including Russia" or mentioning "the long-term threat posed by Russia to Euro-Atlantic security." The verbal nuances may seem slight, but they mean a lot to those countries being asked to massively ramp up spending and those on NATO's eastern flank most threatened by the Kremlin. NATO has warned that Russia could be ready to attack an alliance country within five years. "If we can get Trump to sign off on calling Russia a long-term threat then that would be a good result," a senior European diplomat said. As U.S. peace efforts between Russia and Ukraine have stalled, the diplomat said that Washington appeared to have "moved a centimeter in our direction" on taking a stronger stance on Russia. "Of course more hawkish countries want to go further — but just getting Trump to agree that would still be fine," the diplomat said. Part of the U.S. reasoning is that Washington is more worried about the threat China poses worldwide — and that Russia is more a problem just in Europe. "Russia is the near threat," said U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker. "But China is obviously a big challenge for all of us, and we need to be allied and address those threats as well." Camille Grand of the European Council on Foreign Relations said that beneath the diplomatic fine-tuning, NATO was being confronted by a "fundamental question." "How does the United States view Russia?" he said. "So far we haven't really got an answer." Even if NATO does opt for stronger wording on Moscow, there is always the possibility that Trump could show up in The Hague and directly contradict it. But the debate could come into sharper focus in the months after the summit when the United States could announce a pullback of forces in Europe as part of a review of its global deployments. One area where Washington appears clearly not on board with most other allies is on backing Ukraine. Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set to attend on the sidelines of the summit but his involvement is being kept to a minimum to avoid a bust-up with Trump. Diplomats said there should be a reference in the summit statement linking new defense spending to helping Ukraine — but there will be no talk of Kyiv's long-term push to join NATO. "The U.S. does not see Ukrainian security as essential to European security," said Kurt Volker, a former U.S. ambassador to NATO. "Our European allies do, so they feel that if Putin is allowed to prevail in Ukraine, or if Ukraine does not survive as a sovereign, independent state, they are at risk."
