U.S. could lose UN General Assembly vote over unpaid dues, UN says

(ECNS) — The United States could lose its voting rights in the U.N. General Assembly if it continues to withhold payment of its membership dues, a U.N. spokesperson said Wednesday.

Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for UN Secretary-General António Guterres, told a regular press briefing that the U.S. has not paid its assessed contributions for 2025. He was responding to questions from reporters about Washington's payment status.

Dujarric said that under Article 19 of the UN Charter, a member state that falls behind on its financial contributions for a certain number of years may lose its vote in the General Assembly.

"This is not a decision of the secretary-general," Dujarric said. "It is a provision of the UN Charter."

(By Zhang Jiahao)