Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
January 8, 2026 UN
UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed regret over the decision of the United States to withdraw from a number of United Nations structures, while emphasizing that the UN system will continue to carry out all the tasks entrusted to it.
"As we have repeatedly emphasized, contributions to the United Nations regular budget and peacekeeping budget approved by the General Assembly are a legal obligation under the UN Charter for all Member States, including the United States," the UN press service said in a statement Thursday.
A memorandum signed by US President Donald Trump on Wednesday evening directs US executive departments and agencies to immediately begin withdrawing from dozens of international organizations, conventions, and treaties that Washington deems contrary to the country's interests.
According to the memorandum, this decision affects 31 UN agencies and structures. These include:
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), which promotes maternal and child health and combats sexual and gender-based violence; the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which promotes global cooperation on climate change; the United Nations Democracy Fund, which funds and supports civil society projects in the field of democratic development; and other UN Secretariat units based in New York and elsewhere, including those working on the protection of children in armed conflict and ending the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war.
The list also includes four of the five UN regional commissions (Asia and the Pacific, West Asia, Africa, and Latin America and the Caribbean), which are key platforms for multilateral cooperation.
The decision to withdraw from UN structures means “cessation of participation in the activities or funding of these structures to the extent permitted by law,” the memorandum says.
The work will continue
As the UN Secretary-General emphasized, despite the US decision, the work of the Organization will continue.
"All United Nations entities will continue to fulfill their mandates as entrusted to them by Member States," the statement said. "The United Nations is accountable to those who rely on our work. We will continue to deliver on the mandates entrusted to us."
In accordance with the UN Charter, contributions to the regular budget of the Organization and the peacekeeping budget are approved by the General Assembly and are considered obligatory for all Member States.
For 2026, the General Assembly approved a regular budget of $3.45 billion, which represents a sharp reduction compared to previous years, including a 15 percent reduction in financial resources and a nearly 19 percent reduction in staffing.
A blow to climate cooperation
Commenting on the US decision to withdraw from the UNFCCC, the Convention's Executive Secretary, Simon Steele, emphasized that this decision represents a step backwards in global climate cooperation.
"The United States played a vital role in the creation of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement because both are deeply in the United States' national interest," Steele said in a statement.
"While all other countries are moving forward together, this latest example of a retreat from global leadership, climate cooperation, and science can only harm the economy, jobs, and living standards in the United States as wildfires, floods, megastorms, and droughts rapidly worsen. This is a colossal own goal that will make the United States less safe and less prosperous," he added.
Steele noted that the UNFCCC will continue to work tirelessly: “The door remains open for the US to return in the future, as it did previously with the Paris Agreement.”
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.