United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called on member states to fulfill their financial obligations toward peacekeeping missions, emphasizing that the effectiveness of these operations depends on collective commitment.
Speaking at the opening of a two-day ministerial conference hosted by Germany, Guterres warned of serious financial shortfalls affecting the UN’s peacekeeping work. “UN peacekeeping is one of the most effective and cost-efficient tools for promoting global peace and security,” he said. “But it’s only as strong as the commitment of our member states.”
Currently, the UN Department of Peace Operations is managing 11 missions across conflict-affected areas such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic, South Sudan, Lebanon, Cyprus, and Kosovo. For the fiscal year ending June 30, the budget for nine of these missions stands at $5.6 billion—an 8.2% decrease from the previous year.
Although all 193 UN member nations are legally required to contribute to peacekeeping, delays and shortfalls have led to ongoing liquidity issues. Guterres stressed the importance of timely and full payments, stating, “These are difficult times for funding across all areas of our work, but fulfilling these obligations is essential.”
The UN has also been grappling with broader financial challenges following aid reductions from major donors, including the United States during former President Donald Trump’s tenure.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul affirmed Germany’s willingness to increase its contributions, but also called for more efficient and targeted peacekeeping missions. He advocated for streamlining operations by reducing bureaucracy, clarifying mandates, and eliminating redundancies.
