A report published by the French magazine “John Afric” stated that the United Nations is facing an “unprecedented” financial crisis that threatens its ability to continue to carry out its duties, especially in the African continent, which relies heavily on its humanitarian and logistical support.
According to the magazine, the organization, with the approaching of the 80th anniversary of its founding, finds itself forced to reduce expenditures through a strict austerity plan, which may lead to a reduction or suspension of a number of its programs in Africa, such as peacekeeping and food and health assistance operations.
A dangerous deficit level
The magazine added that the financial deficit reached a dangerous level, as the organization received only a small part of the financial contributions scheduled for 2025.
Until the end of last April, member states have been a result of $ 2.4 billion in the United Nations annual budget of $ 3.5 billion.
The General Secretariat was forced to reduce expenditures by $ 600 million, which was reflected in field operations, and caused freezing and reducing the activity by 17%.
Direct repercussions on Africa
The direct effects of the African continent crisis greatly affects its intense dependence on United Nations agencies and programs in the fields of health, food, refugees and education.
United Nations data indicate that peacekeeping missions deployed in regions such as the Central African Republic, Sudan, and Democratic Congo receive only 83% of their financing. As for the compensation of the forces participating in these tasks, they were crowded due to the scarcity of liquidity.
The World Food Program, Refugee Commission, and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) also face the risk of stopping or reducing their operations, especially after the United States canceled $ 335 million financing that was allocated to reproductive health programs in more than 25 countries, including the Congo, Sudan, and Chad.
In this context, the High Commissioner for Refugees, Philipo Grande, stated that “the ongoing cuts have already started to lead to fatal results and threaten the lives of millions around the world.”
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs “Otha” also warned against reducing its presence in several African countries, including Cameroon, Nigeria, and Zimbabwe, as a result of a financial deficit of approximately $ 60 million for this year.
2026 budget project
In light of this crisis, the United Nations is preparing a 2026 budget project that includes structural reforms aimed at reducing expenses and enhancing efficiency.
These reforms are expected to include the merging of some agencies, the redistribution of workers to less expensive centers, and reduce the number of employees by about 7,000 people.
These steps are supervised by a special team known as the “United Nations Action Squad 80”, headed by Deputy Secretary -General of Policy, Gay Ryder, along with a second administrative committee led by Catherine Pollard, to develop a new financing model presented to member states soon.
In a public session held on May 19, Algeria, Kenya and Mozambique called for these reforms to be designed to ensure the preservation of the vital role of the United Nations in Africa, instead of reducing it.
The French magazine’s report concluded that if the financial crisis continues, the United Nations may find itself in front of a crossroads, as it will not be able to implement the mandate assigned to it, which may leave a dangerous vacuum in conflict areas, and weaken development and humanitarian efforts, especially in Africa, which today represents the most fragile square in the international system.
