U.S Participation in the United Nations: Financial Contributions

U.S. Engagement in the United Nations

The United States co-founded and continues to support the United Nations as an instrument to foster international peace and security; to fight poverty through development; to eradicate diseases; and to advance freedom, human rights, and democracy.

United States leadership in the UN is critical to make the world more secure, more democratic, and more prosperous. The United States is committed to ensuring good stewardship of UN resources so that these universal goals are met effectively and efficiently.

Financial Contributions to the United Nations

The United States has been the largest financial contributor to the United Nations every year since its creation in 1945. In fiscal year 2005, the U.S. contributed $5.3 billion to the UN system, which supported 17 UN peacekeeping operations, international war crimes tribunals for Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia, and development activities.

The United States is a generous supporter – in many cases the largest supporter – of key UN programs. In 2005, the United States contributed:

• 44% of the budget of the World Food Program (WFP), which feeds 96.7 million people in 82 countries every year;
• 16% of the budget of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to feed, vaccinate, educate, and protect children in 157 countries;
• 22% of the budget of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to safeguard the rights and well-being of 20.8 million refugees, returnees, stateless persons and internally displaced persons in 116 countries.