New York, 15 May 2026 (dpa/MIA) - The United States is providing the United Nations with $1.8 billion for humanitarian purposes, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on Thursday, adding the money will help reach "millions of people with life-saving support."

The funds will help deliver aid to people caught up in the world's most severe humanitarian crises, Guterres said.

In December, the US had already given $2 billion to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

Before President Donald Trump took office, US financial contributions to OCHA had at times been much higher.

The US also continues to owe the financially hard-pressed UN billions in membership fees - around $2 billion in the regular budget and around $2.2 billion in the budget for peacekeeping missions, according to the UN.

Trump has repeatedly criticized the UN. During his time in office, the US has withdrawn from numerous UN organizations and pulled out of agreements under UN auspices.

Photo: MIA archive