The United States has paid about $160 million of the more than $4 billion it owes to the United Nations, a UN spokesperson said on Thursday. The payment came as U.S. President Donald Trump hosted the first meeting of his 'Board of Peace' initiative, which experts say could undermine the UN.
"Last week, we received about $160 million from the United States as a partial payment of its past dues for the UN regular budget," the UN spokesperson said in a statement.
Trump had mentioned at the opening of the 'Board of Peace' meeting on Thursday that Washington would give the UN money to strengthen it.
The U.S. is the biggest contributor to the UN budget, but under the Trump administration it has refused to make mandatory payments to regular and peacekeeping budgets, and slashed voluntary funding to UN agencies with their own budgets.
Washington has withdrawn from dozens of UN agencies.
UN officials say the U.S. owed $2.19 billion to the regular UN budget as of the start of February, more than 95% of the total owed by countries globally.
The U.S. also owes another $2.4 billion for current and past peacekeeping missions and $43.6 million for UN tribunals.
"We're going to help them (UN) money-wise, and we're going to make sure the United Nations is viable," Trump said.
"I think the United Nations has great potential, really great potential. It has not lived up to (that) potential."
Countries, including major powers of the Global South and key U.S. allies in the West, have been reluctant to join Trump's 'Board of Peace' where Trump himself is the chair. Many experts have said such an initiative undermines the UN.
Trump launched the board last month after proposing it late last year as part of his plan to end the war in Gaza.
A UN Security Council resolution recognised the board late last year through 2027, limiting its scope to Gaza.
Under Trump's plan, the board is meant to oversee Gaza's temporary governance and reconstruction. However, Trump subsequently said the board could also tackle global conflicts.
UN experts criticised the board for not having Palestinian representation. There was no UN representative at the 'Board of Peace' meeting on Thursday.
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