UN officials have described the US actions in greater detail, characterizing the US announcement as a declarative statement with far-reaching operational implications. The UN Spokesperson again stressed the UN’s responsibility to deliver and reiterated that the UN would continue to fulfill its mandated responsibilities. This commitment would remain in place regardless of the loss of support from a single member state.
The United Nations: Why predictability matters to member states
The primary concern of the UN relating to this issue is predictability. Many international organizations that constitute the multilateral system rely on predictable member participation and stable funding sources, particularly as many programs are long-term in nature and directly linked to the activities and implementation of individual member states.
As such, when a large number of member states announce their intention to withdraw from numerous of these organizations at once, it creates uncertainty in planning, staffing, and coordination among member states who participate in the programs, before the completion of the legal and administrative procedures associated with the withdrawal.
As such, the UN has indicated that it will continue to implement the mandates assigned to it by member states, as instructed. This assertion is more than a rhetorical expression; it is a message to recipient countries and implementing partners that the continuation of services delivered by the UN will be the top priority, regardless of shifting funding and participation patterns.
How does this decision affect the world?
The United Nations stated that the U.S. Presidential Memorandum that the UN is referring to affects 31 UN agencies and bodies.
A United Nations spokesperson reiterated that assessed contributions to both the UN Regular Budget and the UN Peacekeeping Budget are an obligatory requirement for all Member States, including the U.S., pursuant to Articles 17 (2), 18 (2), 19 (1), 20 (1), and 20 (2) of the UN Charter.
Member states have obligations in terms of the budget
In other words, the political announcement made by the US concerning its withdrawal from certain UN bodies exists in tandem with the formal position taken by the UN that the basic budget obligations of member states to fund the UN Regular Budget and the UN Peacekeeping Budget remain binding, even as participation in specific UN entities is being reviewed.
In response to recent reports that the US intends to withdraw from approximately thirty (30) international organizations, many of which contain multiple branches of the United Nations, the UN Secretary-General has publicly stated that he is concerned about the implications of the US withdrawal.
What to watch next for policy direction
The United Nations has identified several bodies that will be impacted by the US decision, including a range of UN-related bodies focused on issues ranging from population and maternal health, climate cooperation, democracy promotion, and UN Secretariat offices working to protect children in armed conflicts and eliminate sexual violence as a tool of war. Additionally, the US decision affects the UN Regional Commissions, which provide multilateral forums for cooperation among Member States in different regions.
The UN has defined “withdrawal,” in practical terms, as either ceasing to participate in, or ceasing to contribute funding to, the UN entities listed above to the maximum extent permitted by law. This distinction is significant because it suggests that the potential effects of the US decision could be quite varied from entity to entity, based on the applicable laws, funding mechanisms, and level of US involvement in each organization.
For many observers, the key question is whether this represents an isolated case of withdrawal or a broader test of the resilience of the multilateral system. Experts will be closely watching the council’s next move. The success of that stance will be demonstrated not only through declarations but also through the ability to maintain funding and operations of the required mandates.
