India among 34 UN nations to pay regular annual dues within stipulated time

India is among 34 United Nations member states which paid their regular annual dues within the stipulated time.

In a document shared by the United Nations, as of 27 October 2019, 129 member states have paid their regular budget assessments in full. Out of 129, only 34 members have paid their regular budget assessments in full within the 30-day due period specified in the UN's Financial Regulation.

The UN's operating budget for 2018-2019 is close to USD 5.4 billion excluding the money for peacekeeping operations. Meanwhile, India has contributed USD 23,253,808 this year.

Although 129 States out of 193 have now paid their regular annual dues, only 70 per cent of the total assessment for the year till September had been paid, versus 78 per cent this time last year.

The United Nations is facing the worst cash crisis in nearly a decade and it might not be able to pay the salaries to its officials next month, said the Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

In a statement issued by his Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric, Guterres said he had written to the Member States, "about the worst cash crisis facing the United Nations in nearly a decade. The organisation runs the risk of depleting its liquidity reserves by the end of the month and defaulting on payments to staff and vendors."

The United Nations is facing the deepest deficit of the decade. Addressing the budget-setting Fifth Committee of the General Assembly on Tuesday morning, the Secretary-General said: "this month, we will reach the deepest deficit of the decade." He said that the Organization risks "exhausting the closed peacekeeping cash reserves and entering November without enough cash to cover payrolls."

Dujarric, while talking to reporters said, other states needed to pay "urgently and in full".