UNITED NATIONS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 12th October, 2019) The United States debt toward the United Nations budget has exceeded $1 billion, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Program Planning, Finance and Budget Chandramouli Ramanathan said in a press briefing on Friday.
"The US owes 674 million Dollars for the current year and 381 million dollars for prior years, this is for the regular budget," Ramanathan told reporters.
Ramanathan noted that the United Nations budget's cumulative gap for 2019 stands at $1.38 billion, with 65 UN member states having failed to pay their budget dues in full.
The United States, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Iran and Venezuela are among the seven countries that account for 97 percent of the budget gap.
The US mission to the United Nations promised it will provide the vast majority of what the United States owes to the regular budget this fall. The United States traditionally pays later than other countries because of the structure of its fiscal year and consequently its budget.
US President Donald Trump has argued that the United States is carrying an unfair burden covering the United Nations' costs and has called for institution significant reforms I the world body.
On Tuesday, UN Secretary-General said the United Nations currently faces a severe money shortage of $900 million, funds that it needs to pay salaries to its civil servants and other contractual obligations.
