By Remigio Alexandre do Carmo Vieira
Independent Researcher
remigioalexandrevieira@gmail.com
For countries of the Global South, the United Nations is not a symbolic institution. It is a practical and political necessity. For small and developing states such as Timor-Leste, the UN provides international legitimacy, development cooperation, and—most importantly—a rules-based space where sovereign equality still matters.
As the UN enters 2026 facing a severe liquidity crisis, with more than USD 1.57 billion in unpaid assessed contributions, the implications extend far beyond accounting shortfalls. This is a moment that tests the credibility of multilateralism itself.
When the UN Weakens, the Global South Loses First
For major powers, delayed payments may be treated as a tactical or budgetary issue. For smaller states, the consequences are immediate.
Financial paralysis at the UN affects peacebuilding operations, development assistance, humanitarian coordination, and technical support—areas on which many Global South countries continue to rely.
For Timor-Leste, a nation whose independence and state-building process were closely supported by the United Nations, the stakes are especially clear. A weakened UN is not an abstract concern; it represents reduced capacity for conflict prevention, institution-building, and equitable participation in global decision-making.
Financial Discipline and Political Asymmetry
Article 19 of the UN Charter allows the General Assembly to suspend the voting rights of Member States that fall into serious arrears.
In practice, this mechanism has disproportionately affected smaller and poorer countries, while major economies with far larger arrears often avoid comparable political consequences.
This imbalance creates a structural contradiction within the UN system. A rules-based order cannot maintain legitimacy if financial obligations are enforced selectively. Sovereign equality loses meaning when political influence shields some states from the consequences faced by others.
From a Global South perspective, this is not merely a legal inconsistency—it is a governance problem that undermines trust in multilateral institutions.
Multilateralism Is Not a Form of Charity
Assessed contributions to the UN are not voluntary aid flows. They are binding obligations under the UN Charter. Framing payments as discretionary weakens the very foundation of collective governance.
For developing countries, multilateralism is not dependence; it is strategic protection. It offers predictability in an international system increasingly shaped by geopolitical competition and transactional diplomacy.
When major contributors delay or withhold payments, the cost is borne not by abstract institutions, but by states whose voices are already structurally limited in bilateral power relations.
Why the Global South Must Speak Clearly
The current financial crisis should prompt a more assertive Global South voice within the UN. Silence risks normalizing a system in which institutional survival depends on the political calculations of a few powerful actors.
From the perspective of small states, several principles must be reaffirmed:
Timely payment of assessed contributions by all Member States, especially major economies
Fair and consistent application of Article 19, without structural bias against smaller states
Reform of UN financial governance, including stabilization mechanisms to protect core mandates
Greater transparency, enabling public accountability for non-payment
Defending the UN is not about preserving bureaucracy; it is about preserving multilateral fairness.
A Strategic Choice for the International Community
The erosion of the UN would not result in a neutral vacuum. It would accelerate a shift toward power-based ordering, where smaller states face increased vulnerability and reduced diplomatic space.
Timor-Leste’s experience demonstrates that international solidarity and multilateral legitimacy matter.
Weakening the UN today risks denying future post-conflict and developing countries the same pathways to peace, stability, and recognition.
Conclusion
The UN’s financial crisis is ultimately a test of commitment to a rules-based international order. For the Global South, defending the UN is inseparable from defending political equality and international law.
Multilateralism cannot be sustained through rhetoric alone.
It must be financed responsibly, governed fairly, and reformed collectively.
