GENEVA: The International Labour Organization is assessing the impact of a USD107 million funding cut proposed by the Trump administration to the Geneva-based UN agency, according to an internal message reviewed by Reuters.
Staff at the ILO, which promotes international labour rights, told Reuters there are fears of further job cuts as the US, which contributes 22 percent of the ILO’s regular budget, seeks to row back on funding.
President Donald Trump has moved to unilaterally cancel USD4.9 billion in foreign aid authorised by Congress for a number of international programmes, including a USD107 million cut to the ILO, a White House statement said on Friday.
In the internal note sent to staff, ILO Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo said he lacks “full clarity” on the cut’s implications. The ILO told Reuters that it is in contact with the US administration to seek more detail.
Houngbo told staff that the US, the agency’s largest donor, had yet to pay its 2024 and 2025 dues.
“Specifically, we are seeking to understand if this reduction applies to the ILO’s assessed contributions for 2025, the entire 2024/25 biennium, or future contributions,” the memo added. This was later reflected in a statement by the ILO to Reuters.
The ILO’s USD930 million total two-year budget for 2026-2027 was approved in June. The White House was not immediately available for comment.
The Trump administration intends to implement the cuts through a “pocket rescission,” a tactic to bypass Congress.
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