The United Nations said on Thursday it would continue delivering on its mandates after the United States announced plans to withdraw from dozens of international organisations, including several UN agencies.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed regret over the decision but stressed that the organisation’s work would continue, a UN spokesperson said.
“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 UN Charter for all member states, including the United States,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
A presidential memorandum issued by Washington late on Wednesday directs US government departments and agencies to take immediate steps to withdraw from dozens of international organisations, conventions and treaties deemed to be contrary to US interests.
According to the memorandum, the move affects 31 UN agencies and entities, including the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the UN Democracy Fund, as well as several UN Secretariat offices dealing with issues such as children in armed conflict and sexual violence.
The list also includes four of the UN’s five regional commissions covering Asia-Pacific, Western Asia, Africa, and Latin America and the Caribbean.
For UN entities, “withdrawal means ceasing participation in or funding to those entities to the extent permitted by law,” the memorandum said.
Despite the announcement, Guterres said all UN bodies would continue implementing mandates agreed by member states.
“The United Nations has a responsibility to deliver for those who depend on us,” the spokesperson said. “We will continue to carry out our mandates with determination.”
Under the UN Charter, assessed contributions to the organisation’s regular and peacekeeping budgets are approved by the General Assembly and are considered binding obligations for all member states.
For 2026, the General Assembly approved a regular UN budget of $3.45 billion, reflecting a 15% cut in financial resources and nearly a 19% reduction in staffing levels.
The US decision drew criticism from climate officials. Simon Stiell, executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, said Washington’s withdrawal marked a setback for global climate cooperation.
“The United States was instrumental in creating the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement because they are both entirely in its national interests,” Stiell said in a statement.
He warned the move could harm the US economy and living standards as climate-related disasters worsen, but said the UNFCCC would continue its work and that the door remained open for the United States to rejoin in the future.
