#USNationalDebt

#UNationalDebt

Does the UN have a "national debt"?

The United Nations (UN) does not have a "national debt" like a sovereign country does. A national debt refers to the total amount of money that a country's federal government has borrowed and has yet to repay.

The UN is an international organization, not a country, and operates with a budget funded by contributions from its member states. These contributions are primarily presented in two forms:

* Assessed contributions: These are mandatory payments that all UN member states must make according to the UN Charter. They mainly finance the regular budget of the UN (which covers administrative costs, infrastructure, and staff at headquarters) and peacekeeping operations.

* Voluntary contributions: These are non-mandatory payments that are at the discretion of each member state. They are vital for the work of many UN humanitarian and development agencies (such as UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, etc.), which do not have assessed budgets.

Although the UN itself does not have a national debt, there may be issues with member states that owe arrears (unpaid assessed contributions) to the UN. These arrears can jeopardize the work of the UN, including peacekeeping operations and daily activities.