United States companies received $2.03 billion in procurement contracts from United Nations organizations in 2025, maintaining the country's position as the largest supplier to the UN. The total contract value is comparable to the amount the U.S. pays in UN dues, according to data from the UN Global Marketplace. American firms secured more than 85% of all UN contracts valued at more than $1 million, with 32 UN organizations, including UNICEF and the UN Development Program, contracting with U.S. businesses.

"These numbers prove that the U.S. can do good and do well at the same time," said Peter Yeo, President of the Better World Campaign. He emphasized that UN contracts support American jobs and strengthen local economies while contributing to the UN's lifesaving work.

The U.S. retained its status as the leading supplier of pharmaceuticals to the UN, providing $921.2 million in products that support global health programs. Beyond pharmaceuticals, American companies were leading providers of management and administrative services ($254.9 million), engineering and research services ($225.5 million), transportation and logistics services ($99.7 million), and information technology and communications equipment ($95.4 million).

State-wise Contract Distribution

Contract awards were concentrated in specific states, with New York leading the list. The following table details the top states by contract value:

Yeo noted that as policymakers consider America's relationship with the United Nations, these figures highlight the dual benefit of advancing U.S. interests globally while creating business opportunities for American companies and workers.

The United Nations resident coordinator in China, Stephen Jackson, has praised China's four major global initiatives for injecting a balanced multilateral vision into the fragmented landscape of global AI governance. Speaking at the Zhongguancun Dialogue on AI Cooperation in Beijing, Jackson highlighted the potential of the Global Development Initiative (GDI), the Global Security Initiative (GSI), the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI), and the Global Governance Initiative (GGI) to address pressing global challenges. These initiatives, rooted in China's historical experiences and traditional culture, aim to unite the world in pursuing common progress and stability.

Jackson expressed awe at the scale and speed of China's technological advancements, particularly in AI, during a visit to Zhongguancun. He noted the rapid development of technologies such as 3D displays, surgical robots, and real-time video generation tools. However, he underscored the urgent need for comprehensive guardrails, ethical guidelines, and legal frameworks to govern these technologies, warning that unchecked embodied intelligence carries unprecedented risks.

The UN holds a unique position as the only platform uniting all 193 member states to tackle shared challenges, Jackson said. Its mandate focuses on two pillars: thinking through governance, ethics, and regulatory frameworks, and acting as a matchmaker for disseminating technological advances. He emphasized the importance of engaging with Chinese innovation to accelerate progress toward ending hunger, promoting quality healthcare, ensuring education, and advancing gender equality in developing countries.

China's governance philosophy, with its emphasis on balance between innovation and risk mitigation, is deeply rooted in Confucian and Taoist traditions of harmony, Jackson observed. This balanced framework is a valuable contribution to global rule-setting, especially as current debates remain fragmented between market-led innovation models and rights-focused regulatory systems. China's role in advancing inclusive AI and upgrading global governance systems is therefore critical.

Jackson highlighted the synergy between China's technological capacity and the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), noting that AI can assist every SDG. He cited the recent earthquake response in Venezuela, where Chinese satellites and real-time AI analysis produced detailed disaster maps within 48 hours, freely shared with UN humanitarian teams. This willingness to provide critical data and tools free of charge sets a benchmark for inclusive technological cooperation.

Addressing restrictions on AI technology exports, Jackson expressed concern that barriers could hinder sustainable development. He emphasized the need for a world of cooperation, collaboration, and trade, balancing legitimate security interests with planetary needs. The Zhongguancun Dialogue, he added, generated actionable collaboration ideas, such as global AI literacy campaigns to equip citizens and policymakers in the Global South to harness AI opportunities.

Reflecting on societal transformations since his first visit to China in 1993, Jackson noted the shift from bicycles to electric vehicles as a marker of comprehensive change. He stressed the importance of deeper conversations about AI's humanistic impacts, including its effects on creative culture, labor markets, and cognition. Senior UN leadership plans to hold high-level exchanges with China to explore these philosophical and societal shifts in the coming months.