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UN Secretary-General expresses regret over U.S. announcement to withdraw from UN entities

United Nations ยท January 8, 2026

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Summary

The Secretary-General said he regretted the White House announcement that the United States would withdraw from a number of United Nations entities, stressed that assessed contributions to UN regular and peacekeeping budgets are legal obligations under the UN Charter, and said UN entities will continue implementing their mandates; the statement did not specify which entities or a timetable.

The Secretary-General said he "regrets the announcement by the White House regarding The United States decision to withdraw from a number of United Nations entities." The remark was delivered as a public statement recorded in the transcript.

The statement emphasized a legal and operational point: "assess contributions to the United Nations regular budget and the peacekeeping budget as approved by the general assembly are legal obligations under the United Nations charter for every member state, including The United States," the Secretary-General said. He framed assessed contributions as treaty-based obligations under the United Nations Charter and tied that point to budgets approved by the General Assembly.

The Secretary-General added that "All United Nations entities will go on with the implementation of their mandates as given to us by member states. The United Nations has a responsibility to deliver for all those who depend on us, and we will continue to carry out our mandates with determination." The statement therefore conveyed both a legal claim about member-state obligations and an operational commitment that UN programs and peacekeeping operations would continue their work.

The statement in the transcript did not identify which specific United Nations entities the United States intends to leave or provide a timetable for any withdrawals; those details were not specified in the recorded remarks. The transcript also does not give the Secretary-General's personal name, identifying the speaker only by the office title used here.