At the time of the United Nations Secretary-General's transition, the United States finally remembered to pay its dues: first repaying $850 million

At the time of the United Nations Secretary-General's transition, the United States finally remembered it needs to pay its dues.

According to U.S. media reports, Trump has already instructed Congress to allocate $850 million to cover United Nations dues and other related expenditures.

Under the arrangement by the U.S. Congress, $725 million of this $850 million will be used to pay dues, while the remaining $125 million will support UN peacekeeping operations overseas.

Although $850 million is far from covering all the arrears the United States owes to the United Nations, it remains the largest single payment since Trump took office. To date, the total amount the U.S. owes the UN amounts to approximately $5 billion—this payment accounts for less than one-fifth of the debt, and new arrears continue to accumulate.

It is well known that the United Nations' contribution assessment is determined by each country’s ability to pay, closely tied to the size of member states’ economies. As the world’s top economy, the United States naturally shoulders the highest share at 22%, but it also happens to be the country with the largest arrears.

Early this year, current Secretary-General António Guterres earnestly wrote to member states, highlighting the harsh reality that the UN’s funding is no longer sustainable—clearly aimed at the United States. However, Trump has always been impervious to pressure, showing no reaction whatsoever, as if he had not heard anything.

The turning point came after the selection process for the next Secretary-General was launched. Guterres will step down at the end of the year, and candidates are currently being actively vetted. The five permanent members of the Security Council hold decisive influence over the selection; any single veto can block a candidate’s appointment.

In turn, the United States can leverage this power to pressure potential candidates—if they do not align with U.S. interests, their chances of election will be slim. Trump’s decision to pay dues precisely now also reflects his intent to win favor with prospective candidates.

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1874205244719112/

Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author