NEW YORK, Feb 2 – As the UN moves on in 2026 to pick a new Secretary General, as its last one Antonio Guterres fails on Ukraine, Gaza and basic transparency, it is whispering about its financial woes to friendly media, while banning the Press that continues to expose corruption.
Alongside a breathless letter from Guterres to member states, a self-described "senior UN official" briefed the scribes of the UN Correspondents Association, which includes Xinhua and IRIB, an Iranian outlet that has published statements under torture as interviews. The official warned that the UN might have to leave NYC, and not hold its General Assembly high level week.
Maybe that would be good - Guterres for example banned the critical press from the last UNGA week.
Now from UN whistleblowers, this:
Dear Matthew Russell Lee, For your info:
Controller financial update: - 76.6% collection of assessed contribution to the Regular Budget by the end of 2025 - Planned expenditure for 2025 was 83% but actual spend was higher at 86% - All liquidity reserves wiped out - Last year, we started with $245m of cash, this year we are starting with almost no reserves. - Now we have collected more that $500m in January which is higher than collection levels at the same time in 2025 - We expect to run out of cash by the end of July o Much will depend on collections
Not sure how much China will pay in April and at the end of the year o Not sure how much and when US will pay Indicated that first instalment should come in January – approximately $125m - All early separations being made – more than 1000 staff to date - Global placements in February and March after departments - Will then take stock of actual occupancy – ie approved vacancy vs actual – need clarity on this before can release more allotment - Will stay with 20% release which should suffice for first 3 months of the year - We know that GA did not agree to return of credit – ie $290m – but it will not go back to MS’ who did not pay in full – ie $70m so we will have to repay $220m – which in real terms is o For 2025, we may have to return $400m -
Current countries with areas include the U.S., Venezuela, Mexico, Ghana, Ecuador o Potentially 9-10% shortage, could be $15% - Will give update on allotments once we have greater clarity on U.S. / China payments - Freeze of recruitments will only be considered to be lifted after we have settled UN80 reassignments - Likely that allotments in 2026 will be more than 80% allotment of last year but unlikely to be more than 85%with 90% likely to be the maximum. - Budget instructions for 2027 to come out in next two weeks – there will likely be instructions for reductions in senior level positions – ie above P5 level - Does not want to receive exception requests unless absolutely critical – hiring now is not advisable. Visas for UN80 impacted staff -
Travel Section are preparing a broadcast message on visa’s with regards to relocations / FWA in NY for colleagues who are relocated away as part of UN80 - G4 visas are not cancelled when relocating but can only be used when for official business travel to the U.S. – cannot be used for family visits etc. - UN has to advise host country when staff are relocated and will do so when staff leave so the authorities here will know when staff have been relocated. - Family cannot stay in the country on a G4 – they can stay if they transfer to other visa categories – staff should consult with a competent visa lawyer for advise. -
Staff have to leave 30 days upon separation and or relocation – requests for additional 30 days are not usually considered positively by U.S. authories . Please do not overstay. - Staff cannot do FWA in NY on a G4 which is linked to your employment. o Staff can however apply for B1 / B2 visas – however the UN cannot support these types of applications as UN only supports G4 visa applications - Staff cannot stay in the U.S. to work using the G4 of a spouse working in the system in NY as G4 holders must be for those stationed in the same duty station where the visa applies - No lump sum on relocations, it will be an issued ticket o Self ticketing is allowing but staff members shoulder the risk of approval and reimbursements.
Inner City Press, which reports daily on the UN as while banned, can verify: today's UN is corrupt.
It's all in a new book "United Nations Betrayals: From Election Stolen by Guterres to Bribes and Banning of the Press," by Matthew Russell Lee (who quickly discloses that he has been ousted and banned from the UN by Guterres, for his reporting).
A noted by New York Magazine on Lee's Maximum Maxwell book, at times here he uses the character Kurt Wheelock, who first appeared in his Predatory Bender.
The book begins with Guterres beating out female candidates for the UNSG post, after a murky year being paid by Lisbon-based Gulbenkian Foundation. The book digs into the bid by the China Energy Fund Committee, convicted of UN bribery, for Gulbenkian's oil company. Readers can draw their own conclusion, including on the need for SG campaign finance disclosure in 2026.
Part of the book in italics delves into the UN Correspondents Association and its efforts to throw Lee out. They appear again in the afterword / novella, "Whacking Qaddafi," which was first mentioned in the New Yorker magazine's Talk of the Town piece about Lee. It addresses more countries: from India to Pakistan, Guinea to Guinea Bissau.
The main text addresses UN failures in Sri Lanka - including the UNCA connection - Cameroon, Western Sahara, Syria, North Korea, Sudan, Gaza and elsewhere. UN Betrayals indeed - this should be the first of a series.
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