Cash-strapped United Nations headquarters to remain closed on weekends

Due to “severe liquidity crisis”, the United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York will remain closed during the weekends. As per a document shared by the UN, 131 member states have paid their regular budget assessments in full and only 34 members have paid their regular budget assessments in full within the 30-day period specified in the UN”s Financial Regulation.

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The deepest deficit of the decade

Reportedly, the UN is facing the worst cash crisis in nearly a decade. Such is the crisis that it might not be able to pay the salaries to its officials next month, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement. Reportedly, air conditioning was reduced and lifts were shut down at the UN headquarters last week to curb power consumption.

According to the reports, 64 countries owe around Rs 9,800 crores to the UN until October 4. Reportedly America alone has to pay $1 billion. Other countries to pay the due includes Canada, Singapore, Bhutan, Finland, New Zealand, and Norway. 

India's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Syed Akbaruddin had said that India was one of the 35 countries to have paid all its dues to the UN on time. According to the reports, India has paid $23.35 million to the intergovernmental peacekeeping organization. 

In a statement, the Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said, “About the worst crash crisis facing the United Nations in nearly a decade. The organization runs the risk of depleting its liquidity reserves by the end of the month and defaulting on payments to staff and vendors”.

Read: United Nations May Run Out Of Money By End Of The Month: Guterres

He further added, “This month, we will reach the deepest deficit of the decade and the organizations risk exhausting the closed peacekeeping cash reserves and entering November without enough cash to cover payrolls.” 

(With ANI inputs)

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