UN to lay off 6,900 employees, slash $3.7 billion budget by 20% –

The United Nations is set to lay off approximately 6,900 employees and slash its 3.7 billion dollar operating budget by 20 per cent, in one of the most significant restructuring efforts in its history. The cuts follow mounting financial strain, mainly due to delayed and reduced contributions from the U.S. and China, which fund over 40 per cent of the UN’s budget. UN Controller Chandramouli Ramanathan said the cuts are part of “UN 80,” a broad overhaul to prepare the organisation for modern global challenges. Earlier this month, Secretary-General António Guterres acknowledged the financial crisis and outlined plans for departmental mergers, staff relocation, and streamlining operations to cut costs.