UNITED NATIONS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 02nd December, 2019) Washington had paid in full its dues toward the United Nation's annual budget for 2018 as the organization is attempting to contain a severe cash deficit, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a press briefing on Monday.
"We've had a number of payments by the US over the last few weeks of about 563 million Dollars, and they are now also fully paid up for the last year's regular budget dues," Dujarric said.
He added that the organization continues to be in discussions with US authorities regarding expected payments for the current year.
In October, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced that the world's body was facing a severe budget crisis due to many member states' failure to pay their regular annual dues.
Following the announcement, the Secretariat put in place a set of measures, such as restricting the travel of UN staff, shutting down some escalators, limiting heating and air-conditioning services and adjusting hire practices among others in UN main offices in New York, Vienna, Geneva and Nairobi to curtail spending.
According to Dujarric, 138 countries out of the 193 member states of the United Nations had paid their budget dues for 2019 in full as of the beginning of December.
