UN Breaks Silence on US Withdrawal from 66 Global Bodies

The White House‘s decision to pull the United States out of 35 international organisations and 31 United Nations entities has prompted an expression of regret from United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres.

Guterres made the position of the body in a statement by the UN Spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric on Thursday in New York, US.

He said the UN has a responsibility to deliver for those who depend on the organisation.

President Donald Trump directed the immediate withdrawal of the US from some international organisations, Conventions, and Treaties that his administration considers as being contrary to the interests of the country.

In a White House Memorandum, dated January 7, 2026, Trump said that the action was the outcome of a report by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio following his Executive Order 14199 of February 4, 2025.

The Order was entitled: “Withdrawing the United States from and Ending Funding to Certain United Nations Organisations and Reviewing United States Support to All International Organisations.”

Trump said that after reviewing the report of the Secretary of State, he had directed the immediate withdrawal of the US from 35 non-UN and 31 UN organisations.

He said: “I have considered the Secretary of State’s report and, after deliberating with my Cabinet, have determined that it is contrary to the interests of the United States to remain a member of, participate in, or otherwise provide support to the organisations listed in section 2 of this memorandum.

“Consistent with Executive Order 14199 and pursuant to the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the U.S., I hereby direct all executive departments and agencies (agencies) to take immediate steps to effectuate the withdrawal of the United States from the organisations listed in section II of this memorandum as soon as possible.”

Trump added that “for United Nations entities, withdrawal means ceasing participation in or funding to those entities to the extent permitted by law”.

“My review of further findings of the Secretary of State remains ongoing,” the US leader stressed.

Trump’s decision affects 31 UN agencies and entities.

These include the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), which supports maternal and child health, and combatting sexual and gender-based violence.

Also affected are the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which fosters global cooperation against climate change, and the UN Democracy Fund, which funds and mentors civil society projects for democracy.

Other offices of the UN Secretariat based in New York and elsewhere such as those dealing with children in armed conflict and ending sexual violence as a weapon of war, are also affected.

The list also includes four of the five UN regional commissions (Asia-Pacific, Western Asia, Africa, and Latin America and the Caribbean), which are key platforms for multilateral cooperation.

The United States is the largest assessed contributor to the UN, responsible for 22 percent of the regular budget and approximately 26 percent of the peacekeeping budget as of 2025.

While assessments for peacekeeping can exceed 26 percent, US law caps payments at 25 percent, creating arrears.

As of January 2026, the US has not paid its 2025 assessed contributions, leading to significant arrears that have reached approximately $1.5 billion, the largest of any member state.

However, the UN Secretary-General said in spite of the US withdrawal, the work of the UN would continue.

Guterres said: “As we have consistently underscored, assessed contributions to the United Nations regular budget and peacekeeping budget, as approved by the General Assembly, are a legal obligation under the UN Charter for all Member States, including the United States.

“All United Nations entities will go on with the implementation of their mandates as given by Member States.”

He underscored that “the United Nations has a responsibility to deliver for those who depend on us”.

“We will continue to carry out our mandates with determination,” he stressed.

Under the UN Charter, assessed contributions to the Organisation’s regular and peacekeeping budgets are approved by the General Assembly and are considered binding obligations for all Member States.

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UN Organisations

S/N	Organisation Name
1	Department of Economic and Social Affairs
2	UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) – Economic Commission for Africa
3	Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean
4	Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
5	Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia
6	International Law Commission
7	International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals
8	International Trade Centre
9	Office of the Special Adviser on Africa
10	Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children in Armed Conflict
11	Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict
12	Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence Against Children
13	Peacebuilding Commission
14	Peacebuilding Fund
15	Permanent Forum on People of African Descent
16	UN Alliance of Civilizations
17	UN Collaborative Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries
18	UN Conference on Trade and Development
19	UN Democracy Fund
20	UN Energy
21	UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women
22	UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
23	UN Human Settlements Programme
24	UN Institute for Training and Research
25	UN Oceans
26	UN Population Fund
27	UN Register of Conventional Arms
28	UN System Chief Executives Board for Coordination
29	UN System Staff College
30	UN Water
31	UN University

Non-UN Organisations

S/N	Organisation Name
1	24/7 Carbon-Free Energy Compact
2	Colombo Plan Council
3	Commission for Environmental Cooperation
4	Education Cannot Wait
5	European Centre of Excellence for Countering
6	Forum of European National Highway Research Laboratories
7	Freedom Online Coalition
8	Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund
9	Global Counterterrorism Forum
10	Global Forum on Cyber Expertise
11	Global Forum on Migration and Development
12	Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research
13	Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals, and Sustainable Development
14	Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
15	Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services
16	International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property
17	International Cotton Advisory Committee
18	International Development Law Organization
19	International Energy Forum
20	International Federation of Arts Councils and Culture Agencies
21	International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance
22	International Institute for Justice and the Rule of Law
23	International Lead and Zinc Study Group
24	International Renewable Energy Agency
25	International Solar Alliance
26	International Tropical Timber Organization
27	International Union for Conservation of Nature
28	Pan American Institute of Geography and History
29	Partnership for Atlantic Cooperation
30	Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery againstival against Ships in Asia
31	Regional Cooperation Council
32	Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century
33	Science and Technology Center in Ukraine
34	Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme
35	Venice Commission of the Council of Europe