UN to shut down New York headquarters for “tight budget”

The United Nations Headquarters in New York is going to remain closed in the forthcoming weekend due to the ongoing cash crisis.

“The UNHQ buildings in NYC will be closed on weekends (Saturday-Sunday) due to the ongoing cash crisis,” the organisation said on Twitter.

“Has your country made its contribution to this year’s regular UN budget yet?” the thread added

In a letter addressed to the 37,000 employees of the UN and sent by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, Guterres said unspecified “additional stop-gap measures” would have to be taken to ensure salaries and entitlements are paid.

“Member states have paid only 70% of the total amount needed for our regular budget operations in 2019. This translates into a cash shortage of $230 million at the end of September. We run the risk of depleting our backup liquidity reserves by the end of the month,” he wrote.

Postponing conferences, reducing services and restricting travel to only the necessary may be needed to cut costs, Guterres said.

Guterres remarked that the ultimate responsibility for our financial health lies with member states.