U.S. Withdrawal From Multiple UN Bodies Draws Regret From Secretary-General
- ATN
- 11 hours ago
- 4 min read
By ATN News Team
UNHQ, New York: — The UN on Thursday expressed regret over the United States’ decision to withdraw from dozens of U.N. organizations, funds, programs, and coordination bodies, warning that the move will reduce U.S. participation across the multilateral system but stressing that the organization will continue to carry out its mandates.
In a statement issued in New York, the spokesperson for U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said the secretary-general “regrets the announcement by the White House regarding the United States’ decision to withdraw from a number of United Nations entities.”
The statement followed a presidential memorandum issued this month by President Donald Trump directing U.S. departments and agencies to disengage from international bodies deemed contrary to U.S. national interests. The directive initiates U.S. withdrawal from a wide range of multilateral entities, many of them embedded within the U.N. system and operating under mandates approved by the General Assembly.
The scope of the action represents one of the most extensive U.S. pullbacks from multilateral institutions in decades, affecting bodies involved in economic development, peacebuilding, human rights, climate governance, gender equality, trade, and system-wide coordination.
Legal Obligations and Mandates
In its response, the United Nations underscored that U.S. withdrawal from specific entities does not alter core financial obligations under international law.
“As we have consistently underscored, assessed contributions to the United Nations regular budget and peacekeeping budget, as approved by the General Assembly, are a legal obligation under the U.N. Charter for all Member States, including the United States,” the statement said.
The spokesperson added that all U.N. entities would continue to implement their mandates as directed by member states, regardless of changes in participation by individual countries.
“The United Nations has a responsibility to deliver for those who depend on us,” the statement said. “We will continue to carry out our mandates with determination.”
The statement was attributable to Stéphane Dujarric, spokesman for the secretary-general, and dated Jan. 8, 2026.
Impact on the U.N. System
The United States has historically been among the largest contributors to the U.N. system through assessed dues and voluntary funding, while also playing a central role in governance boards, commissions, and coordination mechanisms. Withdrawal from multiple entities is expected to reduce U.S. participation in policy-setting forums and oversight structures tied to those bodies.
While assessed contributions to the regular and peacekeeping budgets remain mandatory, many of the affected entities rely heavily on voluntary funding and political engagement, making them more immediately exposed to the effects of U.S. disengagement.
Record of Impacted United Nations Entities
According to the presidential memorandum, U.S. withdrawal or disengagement affects participation in the following U.N. system organizations, mechanisms, and frameworks:
Core Secretariat and System Coordination
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA)
United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination (CEB)
UN Energy
UN Water
UN Oceans
ECOSOC and Regional Economic Commissions
Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)
Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC)
Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)
Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA)
Peacebuilding, Conflict Prevention, and Justice
Peacebuilding Commission (PBC)
Peacebuilding Fund (PBF)
International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT)
International Law and Arms Control
International Law Commission (ILC)
United Nations Register of Conventional Arms (UNROCA)
Human Rights, Protection, and Social Issues
Office of the Special Adviser on Africa (OSAA)
Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict (OSRSG-CAAC)
Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict (OSRSG-SVC)
Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence Against Children (OSRSG-VAC)
Permanent Forum on People of African Descent (PFPAD)
United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC)
Development, Trade, and Democracy
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
International Trade Centre (ITC)
United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF)
Gender, Population, and Human Settlements
United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women)
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
United Nations Human Settlements Program (UN-Habitat)
Climate and Environment
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
U.N. Collaborative Program on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries (UN-REDD Program)
Training, Research, and Education
United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR)
United Nations System Staff College (UNSSC)
United Nations University (UNU)
Broader Shift
The administration has framed the withdrawals as part of a broader reassessment of U.S. engagement with multilateral institutions, favoring bilateral arrangements and selective cooperation over standing international frameworks.
For the United Nations, the secretary-general’s response signaled continuity rather than confrontation, emphasizing institutional resilience and the binding nature of member-state obligations under the U.N. Charter.
The long-term impact will depend on whether the United States maintains its disengagement, selectively re-enters specific forums, or pursues alternative mechanisms outside the U.N. framework. For now, the organization says it will proceed with its work — with or without Washington’s participation.