UNITED NATIONS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 16th October, 2019) The United Nations is in contact with the United States regarding the money it owes toward the organization's budget amid a record-level cash deficit, UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a press briefing on Tuesday.
"We are in closed touch with the United States, we had very good conversations with them, as we are with other member states," Dujarric said when asked whether the world body had received new payments over the past days.
On Friday, Finance and Budget Chandramouli Ramanathan said that the US debt owed to the United Nations budget had exceeded $1 billion.
The US mission to the United Nations promised it would 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 the institution to implement significant reforms.
Last week, the 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.
