The United States has announced an additional $1.8 billion in humanitarian funding for the United Nations, saying the support would be tied to reforms aimed at improving accountability, efficiency and transparency in the use of aid funds.
Speaking at the United Nations headquarters in New York, United States Representative to the UN, Mike Waltz, said the funding forms part of ongoing efforts by the administration of President Donald Trump to reform the global body and ensure American taxpayer money is better managed.
Waltz said the humanitarian support is targeted at victims of natural disasters, famine, earthquakes and other emergencies, stressing that the United States remains the world’s largest humanitarian donor. He noted that beyond government contributions, American private sector organisations, charities and philanthropies also provide substantial global assistance.
According to him, the latest funding follows a memorandum of understanding signed in December last year between the United States and the UN, which established a $2 billion pooled fund to support reforms under the UN’s “Humanitarian Reset” initiative being led by UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher.
He said the collaboration had already reduced duplication and inefficiencies in humanitarian operations, while improving burden-sharing and coordination within the UN system.
Waltz added that American government supports the United Nations when it focuses on its core responsibilities, particularly the delivery of humanitarian assistance in difficult and remote locations. However, he argued that the organisation often underperforms when it moves beyond its central mandate.
The envoy also said the Trump administration had pushed for measures to reduce waste and overhead costs within the UN system, including what he described as the first regular budget cut in the organisation’s history. He said some peacekeeping missions had also been scaled down after remaining in operation for decades without fully achieving their objectives.
He dismissed claims that the United States was retreating from global humanitarian engagement, insisting that the new funding package demonstrates Washington’s continued commitment to saving lives around the world.
According to Waltz, the reforms being pursued are intended to ensure that more humanitarian funding reaches people in need directly, while improving oversight and accountability in the use of public funds.
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