Number: RL30605
Title: United Nations Regular Budget Contributions: Members Compared, 1989-2006
Authors: Marjorie Ann Browne and Luisa Blanchfield, Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division 
Abstract: Starting January 1, 2001, the United States was assessed to pay 22% of the annual United Nations regular budget. For calendar year 2006, 22% of the U.N. regular budget amounted to $423,464,855. Prior to January 1, 2001, the assessment level for the United States was 25%. This report shows, for the years 1989 through 2006, the assessment level, actual payment, and total outstanding contributions for the United States and each of the other U.N. members assessed at 1% or higher. For 2004, 2005, and 2006 a new category is included: the eight countries with assessments at 0.5% or larger but less than 1%. Three of these countries had, at some time since 1989, been assessed at 1%. Aggregated figures are provided for the rest of the U.N. membership. In 2006, the United States and 16 other nations were assessed to pay 86.408% of the U.N. budget. Contributors in the middle category were collectively assessed to pay 5.986%. In 2006, of the top 17 assessed countries, Brazil and the United States failed to pay their entire assessment and maintained unpaid or outstanding contributions. The matter of U.S. funding to the United Nations has been a high-profile congressional issue for a number of years.
Pages: 20
Date: January 28, 2008