Financing the United Nations

Authors: Max-Otto Baumann (Senior Researcher, IDOS) & Sebastian Haug (Senior Researcher, IDOS)

Earlier this year, UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that the accelerating liquidity crisis for the UN’s regular budget risks the organization’s ability to deliver on its mandates. Moreover, as the 2024 Summit of the Future aims to build a more effective multilateralism, there is a need to explore new mechanisms for UN funding. To date, UN financing has become a complex and decentralized affair dominated by voluntary contributions. 

This new study titled "Financing the United Nations: Status quo, challenges and reform options" analyzes how current patterns of UN financing undermine the foundations of inclusive and effective multilateralism. The authors argue that member states should reform the system of assessed contributions and increase the transparency of voluntary funding.