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Updated January 20, 2023
United Nations Issues: U.S. Funding of U.N. Peacekeeping
The United States is the single largest financial contributor
Nations at a standard rate determined by the General
to United Nations (U.N.) peacekeeping activities. Congress
Assembly (about $1,428 per soldier per month).
authorizes and appropriates U.S. contributions, and it has an
ongoing interest in ensuring such funding is used as
The peacekeeping financial year runs from July 1 to June
efficiently and effectively as possible. The United States, as
30; the Assembly usually adopts resolutions to finance
a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, plays a
missions in late June. The approved budget for the 2022-
key role in establishing, renewing, and funding U.N.
2023 peacekeeping fiscal year is $6.45 billion. Four
peacekeeping operations. For 2023, the United Nations
missions comprise about 70% of the overall budget:
assessed the U.S. share of U.N. peacekeeping at 26.94%;
MINUSMA (Mali) at $1.24 billion; UNMISS (South
however, since 1994 Congress has capped the U.S. payment
Sudan) at $1.11 billion; MINUSCA (Central African
at 25% due to concerns that U.S. assessments are too high.
Republic) at $1.07 billion; and MONUSCO (Democratic
Congress appropriated $1.48 billion to most U.N.
Republic of the Congo), at $1.03 billion.
peacekeeping activities for FY2023 (up to the 25% cap).
Due to the gap between the U.N. assessment and the
U.S. Policy
enacted 25% cap, the United States has accumulated over
Background and Context: The Enacted U.S. Cap. In the
$1 billion in arrears since FY2017.
early 1990s, the U.S. peacekeeping assessment was over
30%, which Congress found too high. In 1994, Members
U.N. Peacekeeping Funding
capped U.S. funding at 25% of the peacekeeping budget for
The United Nations currently operates 12 U.N.
all fiscal years after 1995 (Section 404 of P.L. 103-236).
peacekeeping missions worldwide, with more than 80,000
Over the years, the gap between the actual U.S. assessment
military, police, and civilian personnel from over 100
and the cap led to funding shortfalls. The State Department
countries. The Security Council adopts a resolution to
and Congress often covered these by raising the cap for
establish each operation and specify how it will be funded.
limited periods and/or by allowing the application of U.N.
Historically, the Council has authorized the U.N. General
peacekeeping credits (excess U.N. funds from previous
Assembly to create a separate assessed account for each
missions) to fund outstanding U.S. balances. For many
operation to be supported by member states’ contributions.
years, these actions allowed the United States to pay its
In recent years, due to concerns about budget shortfalls, the
peacekeeping dues in full. However, since FY2017
General Assembly has pooled peacekeeping funding to
Congress has declined to raise the cap, and in mid-2017, the
allow for increased financial flexibility.
Trump Administration allowed for the application of
peacekeeping credits up to, but not beyond, the 25% cap—
The General Assembly adopts the scale of assessments for
which led to the accumulation of roughly $1 billion in U.S.
U.N. member contributions to peacekeeping operations
arrears since FY2017. In early 2021, President Biden
every three years. The peacekeeping scale is based on a
reversed the policy and allowed for the applications of
modification of the U.N. regular budget scale, with the five
peacekeeping credits beyond the cap.
permanent council members assessed at a higher level than
for the regular budget. For example, the United States is
Key Accounts and Recent Funding Levels. U.S. assessed
assessed at 22% of the regular budget; however, its current
contributions to U.N. peacekeeping are provided mostly
peacekeeping assessment is 26.94%. Other top contributors
through the Contributions for International Peacekeeping
include China, Japan, and Germany (Table 1). In December
Activities (CIPA) account, which is funded through annual
2021, the General Assembly adopted the assessment rates
State Department-Foreign Operations (SFOPS)
for the 2022-2024 time period.
Appropriations Acts. CIPA funds the majority of U.N.
peacekeeping operations, as well as the U.N. criminal
Table 1. Top Financial Contributors by Assessment
tribunals and mission monitoring activities (Figure 1).
Country
Percentage
Country
Percentage
1. United States
26.94
6. France
5.28
In addition, the Contributions to International
2. China
18.68
7. Italy
3.18
Organizations (CIO) account funds two observer missions,
3. Japan
8.03
8. Canada
2.62
UNTSO (Israel and the Palestinians) and UNMOGIP (India
4. Germany
6.11
9. S. Korea
2.57
and Pakistan), through U.S. funding to the U.N. regular
5. U.K.
5.35
10. Russia
2.28
budget. The Peacekeeping Operations account, which funds
most non-U.N. peacekeeping and regional stability
Source: U.N. document, A/76/296/Rev.1/Add.1, December 28, 2021.
operations, provides assessed funding to the U.N. Support
Some U.N. members, often referred to as troop contributing
Office in Somalia, a U.N.-authorized logistics mission that
countries (TCCs), voluntarily provide military and police
supports the African Union Mission in Somalia.
personnel for each mission. Peacekeepers are paid by their
The FY2023 SFOPS Act (Division K of the Consolidated
own governments, which are reimbursed by the United
Appropriations Act, 2023; P.L. 117-328) provides $1.48
billion to the CIPA account (up to the enacted 25% cap).
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United Nations Issues: U.S. Funding of U.N. Peacekeeping
This represents a nearly $17 million decrease from the
Biden Agreement,” which established conditions under
FY2022-enacted level and is about $845 million less than
which some U.S. arrears, including peacekeeping arrears,
the President’s FY2023 budget request. (The request
were paid. Since the enactment of Helms-Biden, some U.S.
included full funding beyond the 25% cap and about $730
arrears remain. Arrears accumulated prior to 2001 for both
million for cap-related arrears that accumulated since
open and closed peacekeeping operations total about $328
FY2017.) The act does not include funding for arrears. It
million. (Most of these are from the gap between the 25%
also rescinds $100 million in prior year CIPA unobligated
U.S. cap and the U.N. assessment pre-2001, while others
balances, which could potentially have been used by the
are the result of congressional policy holds.) As previously
Administration to pay arrears.
noted, the United States has also accumulated over $1
billion in additional cap-related arrears since FY2017.
Figure 1. CIPA Account Funding, FY2018-FY2023
Some policymakers disagree about the status of
(Actual funding unless otherwise indicated)
peacekeeping arrears and argue that they should be paid,
while others do not recognize them as arrears and claim the
United States is under no obligation to pay them. Some
have also raised concerns about the impact of U.S. arrears
on the effectiveness of U.N. peacekeeping operations.
Sexual Abuse & Exploitation by U.N. Peacekeepers.
Congress has sought to link U.S. peacekeeping funding to
the issue of sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) by U.N.
peacekeepers. For example, SFOPS Acts since FY2008
have prohibited the obligation of U.N. peacekeeping
funding unless the Secretary of State certifies that the
United Nations is implementing effective policies and
procedures to prevent U.N. employees and peacekeeping
Source: Congressional budget justifications, annual SFOPS acts.
troops from human trafficking or acts of illegal exploitation
or other violations of human rights. Since FY2017, SFOPS
U.S. funding may fluctuate annually depending on several
bills have also prohibited assistance to any unit of the
factors, including differences between the U.S. and U.N.
security forces of a foreign country if there is credible
peacekeeping fiscal years (the U.S. fiscal year is from
information that such unit has engaged in SEA until the
October 1 to September 30, while the U.N. peacekeeping
Secretary of State certifies the country is taking steps to
fiscal year is from July 1 to June 30), and discrepancies
hold the unit accountable. The Department of State
between the peacekeeping assessment and the enacted U.S.
Authorities Act, FY2017 (P.L. 114-323) also requires
cap. Payments may also be affected by changes to
reporting on U.N. efforts to hold perpetrators accountable
assessment rates, the application of peacekeeping credits,
for SEA prior to renewing or establishing a mission.
and changes to individual operations. In some years, the
U.N. Peacekeeping Financial Situation. Some observers
timing of State Department reports to Congress (which are
have expressed concern regarding the financial status of
required by SFOPS acts) have delayed U.S. payments.
U.N. peacekeeping operations. In 2019, U.N. Secretary-
Selected Policy Issues
General (SG) António Guterres noted an increase in the
number of peacekeeping missions that were frequently cash
Funding and Growth of U.N. Peacekeeping. Debates over
constrained. Causes included payment patterns and arrears,
U.N. peacekeeping funding often occur against the
and “structural weaknesses” in peacekeeping budget
backdrop of broader concerns regarding the changing
methodologies, including inefficient payment schedules and
nature of U.N. peacekeeping. The concept of peacekeeping
borrowing and funding restrictions. Such issues led to cash
has evolved since the first mission was established in 1948.
“Traditional” peacekeeping involves implementi
shortages and delays in reimbursements to some TCCs
ng cease-
(U.N. document A/73/809). To address these issues, the
fire or peace agreements; however, the Security Council has
General Assembly approved the management of cash
increasingly authorized operations in complex and insecure
balances of all active peacekeeping operations as a pool
environments where there is little peace to keep and no
(while maintaining the balances in separate funds for each
clear outcome. Peacekeepers may be required to protect
mission), and requested that the SG issue assessment letters
civilians, disarm violent groups, monitor human rights
for the full budget period approved by the Assembly
violations, or assist in delivering humanitarian assistance.
(Resolution 73/307). U.N. officials report that due in part to
Such activities can place additional financial demands on
these reforms, the overall liquidity of active peacekeeping
U.N. members. Some experts argue that current
operations continues to improve. The United States
peacekeeping funding cannot effectively support some of
generally supported these efforts. Congress has
the broad mandates authorized by the Council.
demonstrated an interest in the effects of such funding
U.S. Peacekeeping Arrears. In the mid-1990s, the United
shortfalls; the FY2023 SFOPS Act requires the State
States accumulated significant U.N. peacekeeping and U.N.
Department to report to Congress on overdue payments to
regular budget arrears. Many U.S. policymakers were
TCCs, including any operational impacts.
concerned that the United States could lose its vote in the
General Assembly unless it made substantial payments on
Luisa Blanchfield, Specialist in International Relations
its outstanding dues. In 1999, Congress and the
IF10597
Administration negotiated what is known as the “Helms-
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United Nations Issues: U.S. Funding of U.N. Peacekeeping
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