New York, Jan. 31 -- United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has cautioned that the world body is heading towards an "imminent financial collapse" as member states fall behind on annual contributions and structural funding issues deepen.

Detailing the gravity of the situation, Guterres recently circulated a letter to all UN member nations, warning of a severe financial crunch and urging governments to either reform budgetary rules or face "the very real prospect of the financial collapse of our Organization", according to Al Jazeera. He also called on countries to clear their outstanding dues.

The warning was addressed publicly during a Friday afternoon briefing, when a UN spokesperson was asked about the letter and responded ...