UN labour agency says US hasn’t paid dues

The United States is behind in its dues to the International Labour Organization (ILO), but the UN agency's chief said yesterday he was "hopeful" they would soon be paid.

Washington, under President Donald Trump, has stepped away from several UN agencies and programmes as it pursues an "America First" policy that spurns multilateral bodies and pacts.

"Have they paid for the current year? Not yet. I always want to add 'yet' -- not yet," ILO chief Gilbert Houngbo told journalists.

The ILO was not currently looking to revise its budget. "It's not something that I'm contemplating," Houngbo said.

Under a February executive order, Trump directed his government to look at withdrawing from the UN Human Rights Council, UNRWA for Palestinians, and Unesco, the UN's education, science and culture agency.