Washington Not Paying WTO Dues

The United States has informed the World Trade Organization that it will not be paying its share of the organization's operating expenses until it had conducted a review, the timing of which is uncertain.

Reuter's reports the U.S. delegate informed a WTO budget committee of the decision and that WTO officials were scrambling to make up for the shortfall in funding. An official from the office of the U.S. Trade Representative told the news agency that the Secretary of State was conducting a "general review of U.S. funding to all international organizations". "USTR is coordinating with the State Department as it relates to the WTO."

As of end-December 2024, the United States had arrears of 22.7 million Swiss francs ($25.70 million), according to a WTO document obtained by Reuters marked "RESTRICTED" and dated February 21.    By failing to pay its dues, the U.S. joins the company of Bolivia, D.R. Congo, Djibouti, Gabon and Gambia on the list of deadbeat delegations.