2nd meeting - Executive Board of UNDP, UNFPA and UNOPS (Annual Session 2026)

Welcome back to the annual session of the Executive Board. We resume consideration of Agenda Item 18, Engagement with the UN Haiti Initiative, and as I— as you know and you've been informed through the agenda as we discussed this morning, this segment will focus on the proposed merger UNFPA, UN Women. I'm very glad to have with us at the podium today Mrs. Derinkita, the Executive Director of UNAPA, but also Mrs. Sima Bahus, the Executive Director of UN Women, who has accepted our invitation to join us. I have to say that in the meantime, since our February meeting, we've been engaging very closely with the UN Women Board and Bureau. We had several interactions, our Executive Board but also the Bureau, and we've been meeting together. The Secretary-General, several weeks ago, we organized together that informal dialogue on the potential merger UN Women UNFPA, and I'm very grateful for the inputs. And this afternoon, we'll continue the conversation. We will first hear from the executive directors, first from Mrs. Diane Kita, director of the— executive director of UNFPA, and then Mrs. Sima Bachus. And then, of course, we'll open the floor for comments and inputs from member states. I would like to give now the floor to Mrs. Diane Kitta, the Executive Director of UNFPA. Diane, please, you have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. President, Excellencies, distinguished members of the Executive Board, dear colleagues, dear Executive Director of UN Women, dear Sima, I welcome this opportunity to continue a transparent, evidence-based discussion led by Member States on how the United Nations can maximize its impact for women, girls, young people, while continuing the support to government on population data and demographic resilience. We all recognize the urgency of this discussion. We are working to realize the promise of the 2030 Agenda amid mounting global pushback on gender equality and sexual reproductive health and rights, profound global demographic transformation, and an increasingly volatile operational environment and tightening financial realities. Guided by this promise, any reform decision must be grounded in evidence and field realities and evaluated against a single benchmark: its ability to deliver on the mandate of UNFPA and UN Women, protect hard-won development gains, and accelerate much-needed progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals. The strategic merger assessment provides an important contribution to the broader UNHCR discussion. It identifies opportunities, potential benefits, implementation considerations, and risks associated with structural integration, while also highlighting the distinct strength, mandate, and comparative advantage of both organizations. UNFPA's impact is rooted in our role as the lead UN entity on population issues and on sexual and reproductive health and rights, grounded in the ICPD Programme of Action. Our mandate is centered on the principle that population issues are not problems to be managed, but rather rooted in individual rights, choices, and empowerment. UNFPA works in over 150 countries across humanitarian development settings to ensure that, to ensure that every pregnancy is intended, every childbirth is safe, and every young person's potential is fulfilled. At the same time, we support countries with population data, demographic analysis and foresight, and population-informed policies for sustainable development. Excellencies, In direct response to your call for a broader analytical foundation, as articulated in Decision 2026/2, UNFPA has also shared internal legal advice intended to support Member States in their deliberations. Furthermore, as reflected in the joint letter issued by UNFPA and UN Women, both organizations are working together to further elaborate a set of complementary options intended to strengthen coherence, operational alignment, accountability, and impact within existing institutional frameworks. Pursuant to the decision of our Executive Board, this work seeks to explore additional options to address many of the same underlying challenges identified through the UN80 process. To ensure a robust analysis, we are actively refining and vetting the alternative options, which we aim to share with the board in the coming weeks. Excellencies, in deciding on the way forward, 5 core considerations and risks might be weighted carefully. First, agreed mandate on gender equality, sexual reproductive health and rights population dynamics, and youth empowerment must remain clearly protected and fully implementable. Diluting these mandates would dismantle the international framework that protects the health choices and lives of millions. Second, operational continuity at the country level is fundamental. This, this must remain a central consideration in evaluating any future reform pathway. Third, and closely linked, is the need for sustained investment to ensure reform processes remain adequately resourced and operationally sustainable. The resource implications of any reform pathway must be carefully assessed, including transition costs, sustainability considerations, and potential impact on programmatic delivery. Fourth, we must consider the implementation complexity and time horizon of any reform effort, as well as opportunity costs. Failing to fully take this into account risks distracting us from our core mission over a prolonged period. Finally, it is critical that any future pathway aligns with and builds on previous reforms of the UN Development System, as well as ongoing reform streams under the UN80 Initiative to further maximize effectiveness and unlock efficiencies. Excellencies, the question before us is not whether reform is necessary. It is how reform can best strengthen impact, accountability, coherence, and service to Member States, while protecting the support that people rely on every day. That is ultimately the lens through which UNFPA is approaching this discussion. The world has changed. So must we. The status quo is not an option. As detailed in the comprehensive guide to UN80 Initiative work packages following this Executive Board session, The Secretary-General will consider submitting a report with formal proposals to the General Assembly, placing the intergovernmental process and the final decision-making under the direct stewardship of Member States. We are ready to embrace reform boldly and with ambition, even as we seek to maintain the guardrails required to protect our mandate and operational strengths. Our discussion in this room are about structures, but on the ground, the result of this work are about women, girl population, their health, their well-being, and about population data that maps the most vulnerable, about life-saving maternal health clinics and humanitarian supply chain in time of crisis. For UNFPA, reforms is never an end in itself. It is a means to better serve the people, whether through stronger coherence, improved delivery models, enhanced interoperability, or pathways. The measure of success must ultimately be the impact we achieve for women, girls, and young people. Our focus remains there, with the people whose lives depend on the uninterrupted delivery of our promise. I thank you for your kind attention.

Thank you very much, Executive Director Kitah. I now give the floor to Mrs. Sima Bahus, Executive Director of UN Women. You have the floor, please.

Thank you, Mr. President. My dear sister Diane, UNFPA Executive Director, Excellencies, distinguished members and observers of the Executive Board, colleagues, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you, Mr. President, Ambassador Farouta, for the kind invitation to join you today. I am happy to be here. My dear Diane, thank you for outlining where we are today and for grounding us in the substance of the Secretary-General's report. Excellencies, we have briefed you a few times before, and you have heard from me extensively on this issue, but including last Friday actually at the Joint Board, so I will try to be brief. As UN Women, we recently had the privilege of being joined by Resident Coordinators for regional consultations on UN 80 and specifically the potential merger between UN Women and UNFPA. These types of conversations are invaluable in helping bring into focus the realities of our work at the country level, the place where institutional mandates become tangible results for women and girls. The Resident Coordinators who joined us shared perspectives on the potential implications of a merger at country level. They noted that a merger could bring potential benefits, including greater capacity on gender equality, sexual and reproductive health and rights, and data, stronger political weight and influence, a more coherent presence within the UN development system, and a single entry point for governments and donors. They also pointed to the possibility of reducing fragmentation and strengthening accountability for gender equality results across the UN system. Importantly, they reflected on the challenges posed by the current landscape. One observation that resonated strongly was the extent to which donor-driven fragmentation can undermine effectiveness. We heard examples of organizations and partners receiving support from multiple entities for substantially overlapping work, creating inefficiencies for all involved. Too often, incentives can unintentionally encourage investment in institutional identities rather than in the collective outcome we are all seeking to achieve, and in this case, the best impact that we can achieve for women and girls globally. Excellencies, none of this is to suggest that the question questions before us are simple. They are not. The Secretary-General's report is clear that a potential merger carries merit and warrants serious consideration. It is also clear to the risks which Diane has spoken to quite eloquently. And we have heard the concerns of you, member states. You have raised them regarding potential risks, trade-offs, and unintended consequences, and also your openness to reform and to being ambitious in how we think about the future collectively. I am deeply mindful of the importance of preserving and strengthening the normative, operational, and coordination functions that underpin progress on gender equality, on women's empowerment, and sexual and reproductive health. And rights. I recognize the need to safeguard the gains that have been hard won. I believe that any future direction must continue to be informed by evidence and analysis, shaped through consultation, and designed to maximize impact and results and to minimize risk. We are working closely with UNFPA and with you, Member states to rigorously assess the proposals of a potential merger and, as requested by you, our boards, to explore different options for greater coherence, stronger institutional weight, and deeper impact. As we do this work together, we must not allow this moment to pass without ambition. The status quo is not an option. I firmly believe this. This is also a message I heard clearly from member states and feminist civil society organizations during last week's 5th Ministerial Conference on Feminist Foreign Policy in Spain. My sincere thanks to the government of Spain for hosting such an excellent, thoughtful meeting. The challenges facing women and girls are growing in scale and complexity. At the same time, the multilateral system is under pressure to demonstrate greater effectiveness, coherence, and impact. Across the United Nations, we are being asked to do more with less, reduce duplication, maximize every resource entrusted to us. This requires us to examine our current structures honestly and to consider ambitious solutions that could strengthen our collective ability to deliver for those who depend on us and those who need us most. UN Women approaches this discussion with openness— openness to ideas, openness to evidence, and a commitment to be guided by you, our Member States, who have been our steadfast partners since You created us. Excellencies, with your support, since 2022, we have supported 135 countries and territories in advancing gender equality and women's rights. We have continued and contributed to 99 positive legislative changes that dismantle discriminatory laws. Through the Spotlight Initiative, in partnership with our UN sisters, we have supported 540 40 legal and policy reforms globally to end violence against women and girls. In conflict and crisis settings, UN Women has advanced the Women, Peace and Security Agenda across 83 countries, supporting the development of 59 new action plans and bringing total coverage to 117 member states. We have also expanded protection services, cash assistance, assistance and livelihood support in humanitarian and refugee response contexts, reaching more than 2.5 million women and girls. These results show what is possible when Member States, the UN systems, and partners work together with clarity of purpose. As we look ahead, our task is to ensure that any reform strengthens this capacity, that it deepens our impact, and that it keeps the rights and needs of women and girls at the very center of what we do.

Thank you.

I thank Mrs. Bakhus for the statement, and we now open the floor for questions, statements, comments from member states. You are familiar with the protocols, so we have first groups of countries and then members of the Bureau and then Board members and after that observers. We start with Rwanda who would be speaking on behalf of the African Group, to be followed by Sweden on behalf of the Cross-Regional Group and then Armenia, Japan, Brazil. I give the floor now to Rwanda. Please, you have the floor.

Thank you very much. Very good afternoon, colleagues. Chair, thanks to the briefers and thanks to both the heads of agencies for their useful briefing. I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the African Group members of the Executive Board, namely Chad, Côte d'Ivoire, Madagascar, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tunisia, and Zambia. And we thank the Secretary-General and Deputy Secretary-General, as well as their task team, for preparing the package for envisioning the merger of the two agencies. The African members approach this discussion with the seriousness and utmost care of Africa that has a direct stake in this question. Rwanda, and across the continent, the mandates of UNFPA and UN Women is no longer theoretical, it is visible. They are visible in maternal health services, population and data systems, support to young people, prevention and response to to gender-based violence.

For these—

for all these reasons, our starting point has been clear, that any reform must strengthen what is already in place for delivery while still preserving the mandates. It must not weaken country presence, reduce technical capacity, or create uncertainty in areas where the support is urgent. Chair and colleagues, we note that the assessment proceeds from the premise that the mandates of both UNFPA and UN Women must remain unchanged. This point is critically important. Any future arrangements must preserve existing intergovernmentally agreed mandates including those anchored in the ICPD Programme of Action, the Beijing Declaration and the Programme of Action, the CEDAW, and the relevant General Assembly mandates put across these two agencies. We believe that reform must not reopen, dilute, or interpret these commitments. The African members are particularly mindful that the mandate and visibility of UN Women must be preserved and strengthened in any future of all these arrangements. The creation of UN Women reflected a clear recognition by member states that the need for a dedicated, visible, authoritative entity for gender equality and empowerment for women was needed. Therefore, any reform must ensure that this role is not weakened, submerged, or treated as secondary. There is a particular concern that any transition must not disrupt country-level delivery. We believe that as we look ahead, we must underline the importance of national ownership, Any new arrangement must strengthen, not weaken, support to national authorities and priorities, or the institutions that work with these two agencies. Program countries must see clear value in any reform that we are discussing. We would also welcome further clarity on several issues of direct relevance to program countries that we discussed in all our negotiations. In closing, the African members remain open to reform that strengthen the United Nations system and improve results for women and girls. However, the institutions— the institutional change must not be pursued for the sake of it, and we will continue to discuss and engage constructively in this discussion with a clear focus of safeguarding mandates, protecting country-level delivery, and ensuring that any future decision strengthens the United Nations' support to program countries. I thank you very much.

I thank Rwanda for the statement on behalf of the African Group. I give the floor to Sweden on behalf of the CRIS Regional Group, to be followed by Armenia. Ambassador of Sudan, you have the floor, please.

Thank you, Chair. I have the honor of delivering this statement on behalf of Belgium, Brazil, Cabo Verde, Canada, Colombia, Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Estonia, El Salvador, Iceland, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, the Republic of Korea, Spain, Switzerland, New Zealand, Uruguay, Zambia, and my own country, Sweden. We wish to reaffirm our support for the Secretary-General's reform agenda and the objectives of the UN Haiti Initiative, including efforts to enhance the effectiveness, coherence, efficiency, and delivery of the results across the UN system's three pillars through sustained and ambitious reforms, including structural reforms. Much progress— has been achieved to date, including on the efficiencies and mandate review processes. We are strongly committed to continuing to support these efforts and to ensure that reforms are evidence-based, strengthen system-wide impact, and remain responsive to an evolving global context. In line with our commitment to ongoing reforms, we have carefully reviewed the final strategic merger assessment for UNFPA UNFPA and UN Women, and engaged in extensive consultations both before and after its release. While this process has helped clarify the proposed reform objectives and challenges facing UNFPA and UN Women, our, our findings are that there is currently insufficient evidence to demonstrate that the merger would result in efficiency gains of a sufficient magnitude. Including in terms of cost-effectiveness. We are also concerned that the proposed merger options would not sufficiently preserve key normative mandates. We sincerely appreciate the Secretary-General's commitment to preserving the separate mandates of UN Women and UNFPA. However, our experience in negotiations in recent years regarding these mandates compels us to approach any of intergovernmental negotiation on this matter with considerable caution. Therefore, given the information available, we are currently not in a position to support the proposed merger as outlined in the assessment between UN Women and UNFPA. However, we do fully support continued discussions on alternative options that would further reform objectives, strengthen coordination, increase efficiency and enhance impact, ensuring that both UN Women and UNFPA are best positioned to deliver on their mandates in today's global context. More broadly speaking, a meaningful consideration of alternatives will allow us to provide guidance for a constructive and broadly supported pathway to achieving critical UNHCR reform objectives. In this regard, with satisfaction, we take note of the information provided last week by the Executive Director of UN Women that the report on alternative options to a merger requested in Executive Board decisions during the first regular session is to be expected by the end of June. We see the development and assessment of credible alternatives to a merger of UN Women and UNFPA as an opportunity to focus efforts on identifying and advancing practical, evidence-informed evidence-informed proposals that can deliver on our shared goals of enhanced coordination, efficiency, and impact, while fully safeguarding key mandates and institutional strengths. We remain fully committed to advancing reform under the UNHCR initiative, including Workstream 3, and to working collaboratively to develop solutions that strengthen the UN system. I thank you, Chair.

I thank the Ambassador of Sweden for the statement. On behalf of the Cross-Regional Group, I give the floor to Armenia, to be followed by Japan and Brazil. Ambassador, you have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. President, Executive Directors, dear colleagues. I would like to thank the UNFPA and UN Women leadership for the comprehensive briefing and for their continued engagement with Member States throughout the discussions under the UN Haiti Initiative. Armenia believes that any reform process should be guided by the objective of strengthening the effectiveness, coherence, and responsiveness of the UN system while ensuring that it remains fully capable of delivering on the mandates entrusted to it by member states. We underscore the indispensable role of UNFPA in advancing population and development, sexual and reproductive health and rights, prevention of and response to gender-based violence, youth empowerment, and humanitarian action. We likewise recognized the normative and coordination functions of UN Women in promoting gender equality and empowerment of women and girls. Having reviewed the strategic merger assessment of UNFPA and UN Women, Armenia considers it a basis for reflection on how institutional arrangements can best support the delivery of results in an increasingly complex environment characterized by fragmentation, resource constraints, and persistent challenges in the areas of gender equality and sexual and reproductive health and rights. Any further consideration of institutional integration should be firmly anchored in the full preservation of existing mandates, including those deriving from the ICPD Programme of Action, the Beijing Platform for Action, and Sido. At the same time, any such process should ensure the continuity of life-saving services, maintain donor confidence, and carefully address operational, programmatic, and governance-related risks through a phased, transparent, and member-state-driven approach. Armenia remains committed to engaging constructively in further discussions. I thank you.

I thank the Ambassador of Armenia for the statement. I give the floor to Japan. You have the floor, Ambassador, please.

Thank you, President and Executive Directors. First, we appreciate the efforts made since the last Executive Board session. As Japan has consistently emphasized, the preservation of existing mandates remains our highest priority. Since its establishment in 1969, UNFPA has played a vital role in improving access to family planning and reproductive health services. The adoption of the ICPD Programme of Action in Cairo in 1994 established a human rights-based approach that continues to guide UNFPA's work to this day. UNFPA has made indispensable contributions to the achievement of maternal and child health-related goals. Looking ahead, unprecedented demographic changes will increasingly shape societies around the world. In this context, Japan strongly expects the UNFPA's accumulated mandates will continue to play an even greater role in addressing these challenges. While Japan supports the UN Haiti Initiative, the process of organizational reform should not come at the expense of critical mandates of either UNFPA or UN Women. The full assessment report on the proposed merger has to a certain extent responded to the requests from Member States. However, Further explanation and consideration are required regarding how much— how such mandates should be preserved in practice, including through concrete processes and institutional arrangements. Furthermore, with regard to cost savings, the full assessment report does not provide enough information for member states to fully understand the assumptions underlying the projected medium- and long-term efficiencies. Without a clear understanding of how such costs would be financed and managed, it will be difficult to advance substantive discussions on the proposal. Our primary consideration should be the impact on services delivered on the ground. Only after carefully assessing such impacts, we should consider the implications of each scenario for achieving greater efficiency. Finally, Japan would like to encourage continued engagement between member states and the Secretariat. In this regard, we would welcome not only discussions at the scheduled Executive Board session in August, but also additional opportunities for dialogue in the months to ahead. I thank you.

I thank Japan for the statement, and I give the floor to Brazil, to be followed by Denmark.

Thank you, Mr. President. Dear Executive Director, thank you very much for taking the time again to meet with us on this critical issue. Obviously, my delegation associates itself with the statement delivered by the Ambassador of Sweden, so I can be brief. All we have to say is clearly stated there. Just wanted to highlight that, and for my delegation, the critical issue is that our political assessment of the risks, of the political risks of entering into a reform that might provide opportunity for the mandates not to be preserved is tantamount— is an overarching concern. We do not believe that we or anybody else can guarantee that should this process be started, we would end up in a situation where mandates, critical mandates, would not be preserved. And this, as the statement indicates, leads us— lead us to exercise considerable caution at this point in time. At the same time, we do hear what both directors said, that the status quo is not an option. I will not second-guess their assessment. So therefore, I hope that the expected report on options will provide us— will help us find this, let's say, room or space or a meeting ground where we can, yes, make decisions to improve delivery, at the same time avoiding the political risks that we at this point in time identify. I thank you very much.

I thank Brazil for the statement. I give the floor to Denmark, to be followed by Bangladesh. Denmark, please.

Thank you. Thank you, Chair, and thank you, Executive Directors. It's good to see both of you here. We appreciate the updates on the respective organizations' engagement in the UNAID work packages, and one point that stands out very clearly is for the UN to act as one UN at country level with a strong mandate for for the Resident Coordinators, and it was good to hear the feedback that UN Women got from the Resident Coordinators in this regard. And the importance, of course, is for the Resident Coordinators to be able to deliver impactful leadership and collective results to host countries. As we also mentioned during the joint meeting of the boards last Friday, we expect I expect all UN agencies to engage proactively and to be fully committed to implement the UNAID reform. We are operating indeed in an unprecedented context. The UN system faces unprecedented challenges. These are structural in nature and they require structural responses. That includes, of course, exploring possible mergers and consolidations. We must ensure a UN system that is fit to deliver both today and in the future. And Denmark would like to thank the UNAD task force and the Joint Assessment Task Team for their consolidated report on this merger. We find that this report provides a coherent and balanced view of the potential risks risks and benefits by an organizational merger, and we look forward to receive further details regarding the technical and implementational aspects. On this basis, Denmark continues to see clear value in exploring closer integration between UNFPA and UN Women, and this should not be as a cost-saving exercise but as a means to strengthen coherence, institutional capacity,— and more effective and sustained delivery of mandates, including on women's rights and gender equality, including on sexual and reproductive health and rights at the country level. It is essential that mandates are fully protected and that implementation continues uninterrupted. Denmark looks forward to the Secretary-General's formal recommendation regarding the merger and the next steps after this. Thank you.

I thank Denmark for the statement. I give the floor to Bangladesh, to be followed by the United Kingdom, and then we start with observer delegations— Myanmar, El Salvador. Bangladesh, you have the floor, please.

Thank you, Mr. President, Executive Directors. Bangladesh supports constructive reform efforts that enhance coherence reduce duplication, and strengthen impact at country level. However, we remain guided by a simple principle: reform must strengthen delivery, not weaken it. We approach this proposal with several priorities that are, for us, non-negotiable. First, field operations should be continued without disruptions. Life-saving services such as maternal health program that reached tens of millions of people worldwide must continue without interruption. Second, full protection of mandates to be preserved. Third, transition costs must be bridged through dedicated funds rather than a reduction in national program budgets. Mr. President, in conclusion, This process must remain member-state-driven, transparent, and firmly grounded in a service-first approach. Administrative reform should never come at the cost of delivering for the people we serve. I thank you.

I thank Bangladesh for the statement. I give the floor to the United Kingdom, to be followed by Myanmar. You have the floor, please.

Thank you, Executive Directors. The United Kingdom supports the ambition of the UN80 reform agenda to deliver a more efficient and coherent UN system. Reform must strengthen delivery on the ground for women and girls. We appreciate the efforts of UNFPA and UN Women to engage with the UN80 initiative. On the proposed merger, our position Our position is straightforward. Insufficient evidence has been provided to date to make the case for us to support the merger at this time. We remain concerned about the potential risk to the distinct and complementary mandates of both organizations, particularly at a time of increasing pressure on gender equality and sexual and reproductive health and rights. We therefore call for a cautious, phased, and transparent approach. This must include robust analysis of costs, benefits, and delivery impacts of a merger alongside credible non-merger options for the board's consideration. In the meantime, we strongly encourage both organizations to accelerate practical reforms that can deliver efficiencies now through strengthened collaboration, shared services, and improved coherence at country level in line with the wider UNAT agenda. Ultimately, any reform of these agencies must be judged on whether it delivers better outcomes for those the UN serves, and particularly for women and girls. On that basis, we believe further evidence and analysis are needed before decisions on structural change are taken. Thank you.

I thank the United Kingdom for the statement. The following delegations will be on the list of speakers: Myanmar, El Salvador, Montenegro, Russian Federation. I give the floor to the Ambassador of Myanmar. You have the floor, please.

Mr. President, I thank you and the members of the Bureau for convening this session. I also thank the Executive Director and briefers for their updates. The potential modules of UNFPA and UN Women continues to remain as a core topic for Myanmar, as we are a recipient country of vital humanitarian services from both agencies. The operational efficacy of UNFPA and UN Women is literally a matter of survival for our country and the people, especially those living in the challenging humanitarian settings. Since February 2021, the destruction of public infrastructure has been weaponized by the military junta. The healthcare sector has collapsed, and the civilian population has been deliberately targeted throughout this year. Areas. The scale of this manufactured horror is staggering as I speak. The military hunters continue bombing on civilian areas, perpetrating war crimes and crimes against humanity. Moreover, we have seen daily how women and girls bear the heaviest brunt of this man-made crisis. In this dire landscape, the targeted humanitarian assistance and the protection programmes provided by both UNFPA and UN Women are indispensable lifelines. We support the Secretary-General's overarching visions to reduce institutional fragmentation and maximizing efficiency. However, we all need to make sure not diluting their highly specialized distinct mandates. We are concerned that under a single entity, the specialized focus on SRHR championed by UNFPA and the Nomad gender equality standard led by UN Women could be compromised, particularly at a time when global funding for women's rights faces severe pressures. Therefore, to ensure any restructuring enhances field-level impact, we call on the board to grant the full safeguards in the ongoing assessment. First, preserve mandate integrity. Protect the distinct pillars of the ICPD and Beijing Platform so that SRHR services are never deprioritized. Second, optimize field-level delivery. Establish agile cross-border mechanisms that partner directly with local women-led civil societies and parallel administrative structures. Third, ring-face co-funding. Ensure that structuring protects rather than reduces core budget dedicated to women and girls. Finally, institutionalize inclusive consultations, transparently include grassroots networks from conflict-affected recipient countries in the assessment process. Mr. President, the women of Myanmar are at the vanguard of a historic transition. We expect the UN to stand firmly with them, ensuring that any reform to this institution strengthens rather than diminish their protections and empowerment. I thank you.

I thank the Ambassador of Myanmar for the statement. I give the floor now— there is a rearrangement on the list— I give the floor to Montenegro, to be followed by the European Union. Ambassador of Montenegro, please, you have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. President. We thank the UNFPA and UN Women Executive Directors for their briefing and valuable insights. In Montenegro's view, the view— the work of UNFPA remains invaluable. The challenges we face, including demographic shifts, aging populations, and the need to empower youth, require a systematic and coordinated approach. The same goes for gender equality, eliminating gender-based violence, and protecting reproductive health. We also highly value the important mandate of UN Women on advancing women's rights. Therefore, the discussions surrounding the UN Haiti Initiative, including assessments of integration and synergies between UNFPA and UN Women, demand careful consideration and strategic reflection. Mr. President, Montenegro fully supports the UN Haiti Initiative and commends the progress made so far to make this UN system more consistent, effective, and fit for purpose in a challenging financial environment. At the same time, greater coherence should not come at the expense of distinct mandates and the expertise of individual entities. In this context, discussions on possible structural changes, including the potential merger of UN Women and UNFPA, require a cautious and evidence-based approach. While we appreciate analysis provided in this regard, before any decisions are taken, Member States should have clear information on its full implications on mandates, governance, funding, staffing, and country-level delivery, and more importantly, how to mitigate those risks. It is critical to ensure that mandates related to gender equality, women's empowerment, sexual and reproductive health and rights, and population dynamics are preserved and strengthened, particularly at a time when many are facing growing pushback globally. We also need to make sure that any potential transformation and transition at agencies' level does not negatively affect day-to-day operations on the ground. We believe that the alternatives such as stronger coordination, shared services, and joint programming, including on-the-ground, in-field presence, should be fully explored alongside mergers scenarios. In this regard, we look forward to the detailed proposals expected in the coming weeks. Finally, we underline the important role of both Executive Boards and Member States throughout this process. Transparency, regular consultations, and timely information sharing will be essential to maintaining confidence in it. Montenegro remains committed to playing a constructive role in this.

Thank you.

I thank Montenegro for the statement. I give the floor to the European Union, to be followed by El Salvador and the Russian Federation. European Union, please.

Thank you, President. Excellencies, colleagues, I deliver this statement on behalf of the European Union as a donor. The EU welcomes efforts to strengthen the UN Development System and supports the the Secretary-General's UNAID ambitions, and thanks the Executive Directors for their vision statement to make this happen. Reforms must create leaner operations, stronger country teams, and better outcomes for the people on the ground. The UNAID work packages under the Sustainable Development Pillar, including the potential UNFPA-UN Women merger, must be considered together as they are interconnected. As a major donor, the EU highly values its partnership with both agencies. We would have 3 points and 3 questions. First, the EU stands ready to discuss merging UNFPA and UN Women. A single entity would constitute an important signal for the broader UNAID efforts, as would the redesign of the country and regional teams, access to expertise on demand, and the strengthening of resident coordinators. In a context of shrinking resources and growing pushback against gender equality, this work package presents a critical opportunity to strengthen the UN's impact through greater coherence, efficiency, and political weight. Second, however, and as many have said already, all existing mandates, including those under the Beijing Platform, ICPD Programme of Action, CEDAW, and Women, Peace and Security resolutions, must be guaranteed to remain unchanged. This merger must enhance, not undermine, the UN's ability to deliver on its gender equality and SRHR obligations across humanitarian, development, and peace contexts. Finally, a more detailed cost-benefit analysis of the current option and and alternative options would be particularly valuable to ensure this transition strengthens rather than disrupts our collective work for gender equality. Excellencies, colleagues, as a strong supporter of UNAT, the EU will continue working with partners to make the UN more responsive, accountable, and fit for purpose. On that basis, our three questions are as follows. First, how would a merger retain donor confidence while avoiding partner government or beneficiary confusion, and how can we collectively guarantee that the mandates will be preserved? Second, what are the key milestones for deciding on this merger and the realistic implementation timeline, and how does this align with other UNAT work packages? And finally, what transitional arrangements would minimize disruption to ongoing programs, and how would the transitional costs be funded? Thank you very much, President.

I thank the European Union for the statement. I give the floor to El Salvador, please.

President, for El Salvador, the process of evaluating a potential merger between the UNFPA and UN Women is of particular importance, not only because of the strategic value of the work of both entities at different levels, but also because of the differentiated nature of their contribution according to their different areas of competence. The findings so far in the evaluation of the potential merger suggest that there is no evidence of overlaps or duplications in the work of both entities. Rather, the information reveals opportunities to strengthen complementarities, and these could be added to efforts in furtherance of more effective collaborations between the agencies throughout the system. We have also heard repeated requests by many member states for the Secretariat to present alternative options to the possible merger, with additional analyses and greater guarantees as regards the costs and benefits of the merger. However, this call has not effectively been answered. President, my country sees with concern the risks of this potential reform, in particular potential interruption of service on the ground, the loss of specialized human capital across the country offices and setbacks in key work areas that previously were carefully defined and ratified by member states in a variety of fora, including this Executive Board and the Executive Board of UN Women. The reform through the UN80 initiative seeks to generate efficiencies. In many cases, these efficiencies have come about as a reduction in operational expenses as a result of actions to streamline to streamline and simplify supply chains or through staff reductions. And in this context, we consider it relevant to have a better understanding, a more precise understanding, how the merger proposal would contribute not only to these objectives, but also we would like to know what is the evidence that demonstrates that this type of institutional integration would generate additional benefits. We would also be grateful to learn any new evidence for the efficiencies that may be gained, given that a prior study indicated that would not be the case. El Salvador reiterates that maximizing use of resources, transparency, and accountability must be at the core, with a view to improving the work of the organization and generating more and better results. Having said this, we also believe that the quest for such efficiencies should not necessarily involve institutional reconfiguration, as the value of the strategic work has been verified and is indisputable.

I thank you.

I thank El Salvador for the statement. I now give the floor to the Russian Federation, to be followed by Belarus, Portugal, Kazakhstan. The Russian Federation, please.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, distinguished heads of UNIFPA and UN Women. In addition to our statement this morning, I'd like to state the following. First of all, we confirm our consistent position regarding the need to involve states at all stages of possible structural reform.

Reforms.

In this connection, we are quite disappointed that the prepared risk analysis— risk and benefits analysis of the merger of the two structures does not contain a number— a whole range of evidences which have been requested by executive boards of the two agencies in the course of their first regular sessions in January and February of this year. Once again, we note the key role of executive boards as the governing structures of intergovernmental bodies of both structures in taking decisions on any reforms. And we expect that the Secretary-General and those in charge of implementing UN 80 are more attentive to the relevant decisions adopted in the course of the annual session. Mr. Chairman, we consider the work of UNIFPA and UN Women extremely useful in examining alternatives to merging the two structures. However, we are disappointed that the results of this work will not be presented to member states in the course of the annual session of Executive Boards. In this connection, we expect that the leaders of the structures will do everything possible to inform us in a timely way about the results of the, research conducted by them and will take into account the possible comments and concerns of member states before presenting them to the Secretary-General to be included in the report on progress achieved in implementing UN 80. We also expect that the final decision on the advisability of the merger or a different, uh, version of the reform will be adopted no earlier than the second regular sessions of Executive Board so that states can have a chance to form their positions on the expected changes in the— in the— in as an official decision. In conclusion, I'd like to note once again that the Russian Federation is convinced on the need to conduct reform in order to optimize the work of United Nations. At the same time, we should not We must never forget that the most important imperative in any reform of the UN system is that consensus must prevail over everything. Only by taking account of the views of states, member states, UNIFPA, UNFPA, and UN Women will truly begin to be more effective and deserve our trust. Thank you.

I thank the Russian Federation for the statement. I give the floor to Belarus, to be followed by Portugal. Belarus, please.

Mr. Chairman, colleagues, distinguished executive boards, the Republic of Belarus is following very carefully the course of discussion on the possible implementation of the UN Haiti Initiative on reforming the UN system, including the possibility of merging UNFPA UN Women. As many member states, we would like to express our concern regarding the potential consequences of such a reform. We should acknowledge that currently there's a lack of concrete information about a number of principal issues, first and foremost having to do with maintaining or merging the mandates of the two structures which have different remits, different methods of work, procedures for financing, systems of accountability, and the type of cooperation they have with member states. We cannot allow that as a result of this merger such important areas such as demography, population studies including issues of aging, inclusivity, reducing maternal mortality, and the health of all people of reproductive age, migration, and urbanization suffer. And the reform proposal is a lack of understanding of the way the merged structure will be financed. Furthermore, there is no clarity about the prospects for implementing country programs that have already been adopted. At this stage, we believe that it is not a good idea to adopt a decision on merging the two bodies. We believe that it's important to conduct a transparent and intergovernmental negotiating process on this issue. We believe that establishing any new structure of the UN can only be done through the adoption of a resolution by the General Assembly, as was the case in creating UN Women in 2010. A resolution of the General Assembly of the UN should contain comprehensive information about the mandate, authority, and other aspects of the activity of the structure to be created. The Republic of Belarus is grateful to all the stakeholders involved in this work and expresses its readiness to continue cooperation on this very sensitive issue. Thank you.

I thank the Republic of Belarus for the statement. I give the floor to Portugal, to be followed by Kazakhstan and then Australia. Portugal, please.

Thank you, Mr. President. At the outset, Portugal reaffirms its support for the UNAT process and its objective of strengthening the coherence, effectiveness, and delivery capacity of the UN Development System. We welcome the joint letter from UNFPA and UN Women to the Executive Board, including its focus on practical areas where closer alignment could improve delivery. For Portugal, any possible merger should strengthen, not dilute, the ability of both entities to support countries. Efficiency gains are important, but they are— they must be pursued in a way that preserves mandates, specialized expertise, and an uninterrupted delivery, particularly in fragile and humanitarian settings. Against this background, Portugal would welcome further clarification on 4 issues: the implications of each merger scenario for UNFPA's procurement, supply chain, and lever capacities, including maternal health medicines and contraceptives; the safeguards for UNFPA's role in censuses, population data systems, and demographic analysis, the measures to ensure continuity, continuity of UNFPA's humanitarian responsibilities, including SRH in emergencies and GBV provider of last resort functions, and the governance, sequence, transition, and accountability arrangements needed to protect these critical functions throughout the process. Portugal also underlines that any future configuration should preserve the normative coordination and operational functions currently performed by UN Women and ensure that gender equality, women's leadership, economic empowerment, and prevention and elimination of violence against women and girls, and the Women, Peace and Security Agenda remain central across the UN development system. Any reform should strengthen delivery while preserving the mandates, expertise, and capacities that are essential to support countries and reach the most— those most at risk of being left behind. Portugal will remain constructively engaged and open to supporting any solution that promotes less fragmentation, more efficiency gains, and above all, better mandate delivery. I thank you.

I thank Portugal for the statement. I give the floor to Kazakhstan.

Thank you, Mr. President. We commend Executive Director Keita and Executive Director Bachus for their insights. In Kazakhstan, our partnership with UNFPA and UN Women has been truly transformative. Working together, we have significantly reduced maternal mortality, advanced gender equality, and strengthened national reproductive health systems. Because we deeply value this tangible, on-the-ground impact, we approached the proposed merger of UNFPA and UN Women with close and prudent consideration. We fully support the UN80 goals of building a more efficient, agile, and accountable UN. However, any structural change of this magnitude must be backed by robust empirical evidence. At present, we view the proposal with three primary concerns. First is operational continuity. Currently, UNFPA and UN Women collaborate seamlessly in our country and across the region. A merger risks introducing significant administrative burdens, potentially disrupting host country agreements, and creating supply chain gaps. The women and youth who rely on those lifelines must not pay the price for institutional restructuring. Second is Second is preserving normative mandates. Reopening agency mandates carries distinct political risks. Both entities possess separate hard-won mandates and we must protect them from being diluted during a complex merger process. Third is the cost-benefit imbalance. We could face substantial transition costs in exchange for marginal projected annual savings. Before member states can endure structural changes, we need a comprehensive risk mitigation strategy that justifies these upfront expenditures. To conclude, Kazakhstan firmly supports constructive reform, but our overriding priority is the uninterrupted delivery of results. We look forward to receiving further details on these options. And to engaging with all partners to ensure our next steps are financially sound and operationally secure. I thank you.

I thank Kazakhstan for their statement. I give the floor to Australia, to be followed by South Africa. Australia, please.

Thank you, President. Under the UN80 Initiative, Australia wants to see ambitious system-wide reforms that promote the role of the UN in advancing sustainable development. We commend early achievements on the UN80 Initiative to improve delivery. As we said earlier today, we're in favor of bold change that preserves what matters most and allows the UN to be ready for future challenges. As we proceed, there are critical issues at stake that we must consider carefully. First and foremost, we must be sure that the mandates of both entities are preserved. These mandates reflect commitments agreed by all UN member states and are foundational to guiding work that advances human rights. Mandates may be particularly vulnerable to weakening during transition, governance reform, and review phases. We therefore seek clear and robust assurance mandates will be protected throughout what is expected to be a complex multi-year process. Secondly, in addition to exploring the merits of a merger, we must also consider alternative reform options. In this regard, we're pleased that UNFPA and UN Women have jointly commissioned the preparation of other options for member states' review. Such options should preserve mandates, achieve efficiencies, promote impact, and ensure minimal disruption to service delivery delivery. We request that these options be provided as early as possible. Thirdly, it's essential that the executive boards are fully briefed on alternatives and have a leading voice in the provision of advice on whether a merger should proceed and whether alternative reform options should be pursued to achieve our shared objectives. Excellencies, Australia stands ready to contribute to the preparation of alternatives and to lean in to help reach decisions on priority reforms.

I thank you.

I thank the United Kingdom for the statement. Australia, I'm sorry, I apologize. Yes. And I give the floor to South Africa, to be followed by China. South Africa, please.

Thank you, Mr. President. South Africa remains firmly committed to reform proposed under the UN Haiti Initiative. We believe in a UN system that is more effective, more coherent, more accountable, and better positioned to respond to the needs of the people on the ground. However, reform must be measured by whether it protects lives and livelihoods, advances, promotes and protects rights, and strengthens sustainable development outcomes where they matter the most. For South Africa, and for many countries across Africa, UNFPA and UN Women are not abstract institutions. Their work is felt in communities, clinics, schools, and homes. Through its important mandate, UNFPA supports countries with demographic data, maternal health, sexual and reproductive health services, and efforts to address gender-based violence and teenage pregnancy. UN Women provides essential and crucial leadership and support on gender equality, the empowerment of women and girls, normative standards, and system-wide accountability. These mandates meet different needs. They speak to different parts of our development reality. They are complementary, but they are not interchangeable. It is for this reason that South Africa is concerned that the current assessment does not sufficiently address the country-level implications of a merger, particularly for African programme countries that rely on the distinct expertise, operational systems, and partnerships of both entities. Any structural change must therefore be assessed against its real impact on delivery, especially in countries where development gains remain fragile. We are mindful of the UNFPA legal advice provided, which indicates that no guarantee can be given that mandates would remain unaffected in a future General Assembly process. In the current geopolitical climate, where gender equality, women's and girls' rights, and SRHR remain highly contested, any change in structure and functions requires careful consideration by Member States. South Africa wishes to underline the importance— important oversight role of the Executive Boards. Where structural changes of this significance are being considered, the Boards should not be bypassed. Assessing possible changes to the entities under their oversight falls within their remit, and the Boards have a responsibility to ensure that any reform strengthens rather than weakens mandate delivery, operational continuity, and country-level impact. South Africa therefore views the argument and current assessment is not necessarily a sufficient basis to advance a merger pathway at this stage. At the same time, we welcome the commitment by UNFPA and UN Women to present alternative options to enhance alignment, impact, and efficiency while preserving existing mandates. We look forward to considering these proposals. We wish to stress and reiterate that reform should not weaken what works. It should protect what is essential, strengthen what delivers, and ensure that the UN remains a trusted partner to the countries and communities it serves. I thank you.

I thank South Africa for the statement. I give now the floor to China. You have the floor, please.

President, China thanks the Executive Directors of the two agencies for the briefings. And the updates as well as efforts on UNAID initiative, and we wish to strengthen the four observations. First, UNFPA and UN Women each carry important mandates and play vital roles in the areas of sexual and reproductive health, gender equality, and women's empowerment. Reform should ensure that the normative and operational mandates of both entities are fully preserved. On this basis, Synergies should be strengthened and comparative advantages fully leveraged so that the two entities jointly support the 2030 Agenda. Second, China commends the extensive work previously undertaken by the two entities in assessing the merger. However, at present, member states still have significant concerns regarding the cost-benefit implications of the merger proposal, the protection of mandates, and its impact on the ground. Therefore, the two entities should provide more comprehensive and accurate information and expeditiously release analysis of alternative options, such to provide a basis for member states to conduct thorough examination and prudent deliberations, and to facilitate the identification of reform options and pathways. Third, whether reform measures gain support hinges on whether they can help enhance system effectiveness, strengthen field delivery, and better support member states' priorities. Such measures should be effectively aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Framework and country programs, avoid disrupting the continuity of existing projects or increasing transition costs, and ensure that reform dividends truly benefit program countries and the most vulnerable groups. Fourth, the merger involves a wide range of issues and has far-reaching implications. The relevant process and discussions should continue to be guided by the principles of transparency and inclusiveness, fully heed the voice of all parties, and safeguard the leadership and decision-making authority of member states. The EB should effectively exercise its governance and oversight functions, carefully assess reform proposals, and ensure that the concerns of member states are properly addressed and that the direction of reform reflects broad consensus. China stands ready to continue fulfilling its responsibilities as a member of the Executive Board and to engage constructively with all member states in further discussions so as to advance relevant reforms in a steady and prudent manner on the basis of adequate communication, broad consensus, and careful assessment. Thank you, President.

I thank China for the statement. For now, we have— I'm saying for now because there may be additional comments— we have exhausted the list of speakers. I would like to give the floor first to Mrs. Bajous for a potential reaction, response to the statements, and then I'll invite Executive Director Keita. Mrs. Bajous, please.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. President. Actually, I just want to thank all member states for your interventions today and for your being constructive. And also, I just want to say that we are listening to you and we will be providing you with extra analysis that you have requested through the alternatives, as the boards have requested. And also, we are grateful for your time and for your reflections on this. We took extensive notes and I believe that we will be be in a position towards the end of this session to move forward on that. Thank you really for every suggestion that you have made and also every concern that you have highlighted. As I mentioned earlier today and earlier in a number of other meetings, we are— I think we are all thinking alike. We do have concerns. We do have opportunities and we need to work together to be able to to make sure that you make the best decision in the end on what is the best for women and girls, and collectively we have to get to that stage. I thank you so much. Thank you.

And I want to thank you, Executive Director Bachus, for being here. There is no, of course, clear institutional connection between this Board and the work of UN Women, but we felt this is right when we are discussing a potential merger between UNFPA, UN Women, to have you in our midst, and thank you for taking the time. And of course, this is an ongoing dialogue, and as far as we are concerned, our bureau and myself will be keeping very close contact with our colleagues from the UN Women Executive Board, and it's still a work in progress. Thank you.

Thank you.

I would like to invite Executive Director Kitah. Please, you have the floor.

Thank you so much, Mr. President. Excellencies, thank you for your comment, but allow me to join the President in thanking my dear sister, Sima, for being here. This is not an easy exercise and we are not from the same world. Taking her time to be here in this very busy period is just to show respect not only to you, but to the work that our two teams are doing together. Because it's not about the Executive Director here, it's about all our team around the world. I think that is important to mention here. Sima, thank you very, very much. This is not an easy exercise. Since we have time, allow me, Mr. President, to go almost by member state comments. I would like to start with the African Group comments. I'm going to mention only thing in the Africa Group comment here. That really caught my eyes and that is important to mention. The Africa group said that we fought too much to lose authoritative gender role and that must not be weakened. I am a woman. I think we are in UN 80. It will be very sad not to have an entity called UN Women. It will be a loss for the United Nations system. That— maybe that's the most difficult part into it, —because UNFPA is not about women and girls. I'm mentioning this because this member state, you have a decision to make, but that comment is very important. So this is the first thing I will mention. Vis-à-vis Sweden's comment, I thank the group of cross-regional group for the comment about insufficient information, including on cost-effectiveness and alternative options. You know, if we were going by ourselves separately, we could bring you that. We'll take the best consulting group and we bring that. It's easy. But when we go together, it takes time. If you were asked that last September or October, you may have had it now, because that's not the way we work. I'm being very blunt here. This is my board. I can be with you. And so that's why it's We are taking real time, and that's time we are working on it together, our joint team, to make sure that we can give that's the most transparent, accountable option that there is there, whatever that might be. I think that's important. The cost-effectiveness, well, for the tentative figures we have so far, the transition costs so far, and it's just so far, will be approximately 110 million US dollar. But after investing $110 million, maybe after that few— after a few months or year, we will be maybe making a saving of $32 to $38 million per year. That's what we have at this stage about being working very closely together. That's valid for all members that have asked that question. But we are working on making sure that alternative option cost-effectiveness you have that information. Thank you for your point. And as much for Africa, Sweden, you all recognize the important work we— agency do at the level and the country we serve. Thank you to Armenia as well for the comment and the work we do. And the work we do at UNFPA is very politically sensitive in some country we work on. So I think this is important here to mention as well, because it has not been mentioned here. Whatever reform is, and I've been talking to Resident Coordinator, to the other entities as well, so far one thing that is not diluting my mandate and something that is allowing us to proceed within that clause of sovereignty that Commission Population like to put on everything is our country program documents. Sexual reproductive health and rights are critical, and for that you need to agree with the minister— technical ministries and the planning ministry, who are our key ministers, and then the Foreign Affairs to get the document here. So I think that needs to be taken into consideration as well, because that protection of the mandate remains with member states, and I've heard A lot of member states here, they need to remain on board on this. Thank you very much, Japan, for highlighting as well the comment and document. And I'm just go where you want as well, cost implementation and impact on service delivery and alternative options. Sima said it, I'm saying it, we are working on it and we'll try to provide you as soon as we can. For Excellency the Ambassador of Brazil as well, The political assessment of the risk was added to the question, and we are working on it. About the mandate being to be guaranteed or to be preserved, that relies on member states. I think listening to all of you today gave me hope that that will not be an issue at another level. That's why we are very grateful to the board and all of you board members to allow us this discussion at this time. I would like to thank as well the Ambassador from Denmark with the engagement on the UN reform and the merger consideration and all the savings and cost implication and alternative option, and the work that we do with other work stream that is being happening. We hope we'll give you the possible merger consideration to move forward properly. Into that respect. Bangladesh, thank you. Strengthening the delivery and field operation should continue. That's what we all aim at. I think our visited extensive countries as much as CIMA as well, and our teams as well, and we work on the ground everywhere, and I think that's what matters most. We'll make sure that there is no disruption in what we do. Thank you for the support. Support, you want to know about cost-effectiveness as well. UK, thank you for your comments as well, to deliver on the ground, to strengthen that. That's what we are trying to do. And concerned by the pushback and the pressure, that's again the pushback— we may have a lot of pushback in the wider world, but I hope in the UN system, as you all express it, the support for the mandate, that what matter most, and we hope that that will continue as it is. And you said as well to accelerate practical option cooperation, and further evidence are needed working on that, just like asked by the others. Myanmar Ambassador, thank you very much for your comment, and I will just highlight your question, your point on matter of survival for your people.— and that's what it is this about. And thank you for that. We'll make sure as well to optimize field-level work and make sure that you get the information that can allow you to take the right decision. Thank you. Montenegro, thank you, Excellency, as well. Careful consideration is being given, and believe me, our team are really doing that. And it's easy to go one by one, but going together, it needs to check every point, every bullet point, every comma in every document, and that's what is the problem. And we all have our own very valid issues that cannot be dealt with carelessly. So thank you for your comment. They are coming as well, safeguarding the operation on the ground. That's what we are fighting for all together. EU, European Union, as a donor, it's good It's good to have a donor perspective since we have member recipient country perspective. I like your 3 points. How do the donor confidence— that's a very valid question. I hope that what you— what we are doing will keep the donor confidence in check, because we are— we receive voluntary contribution, whether it is from recipient whether it is from member states, it's all voluntary contribution. So EU mentioning that is so, so, so critical because it makes a difference. If we don't have donor contribution, wherever they come from, and there is no small contribution, our mandate and the work will disappear. That's a fact that I think we live with that. We live with what you provide us with. That's the thing that we have. So thank you for the question. How do we align with others' workstreams? We really fight hard. Let me take one that has not been mentioned, UNAIDS, for instance. We co-lead some of the groups. We are making sure that we continue those parts are not lost, the youth leadership, the maternal and neonatal transmission, child transmission are not lost. We work on the human rights workstream, because all our work is based on right and choices, so it's important for us. We work on the humanitarian reset, even for the GBV as last resort. You know, that has been changed and now protection— bigger in the protection cluster now. So we are working closely with UNHCR, what it means concretely on the ground for us and how we advance on that. We work as well on the supply supply chain, since we want a better efficiency at the supply level, that our maternal health supply does not be lost in translation into the bigger supply of other agencies. Those are all— we work closely with every work stream that has an impact on what we do. Expertise in demand is fantastic for some of the issues. Some of the issues, like population, demography, resilience, is built over years with governments, and those expertise on demand can go on the technical part, but will not go on the policy dialogue part. And maybe for the— just the country reset, we work very closely on that all together because it's important. I have been discussing with some of the RCs, some agencies. I truly believe that the RC-strengthened system is important for all of us. And need to be done, but the strengthening of the RC system goes beyond these potential mergers, goes with their ability to have resources to be able to work and use properly all of us in the ground, but that's a system that is very important. The last one I would like to mention is probably the regional reset and reconfiguration. That's important as well. If I take population and data only, the economic Economic Regional Commission in every region of the world. We work closely with them because when they start institute the census board or the population and data, we work with the Economic Regional Commission to work with country on policy dialogue and putting their data into place as well. So that's something that matters to us and need to be— so, and the cost of the merger, I'm still in the EU comment. I don't know. We're still working on it. but as I said, we have $110 million that is out there that may be a price of the cost. El Salvador, thank you, Ambassador, as well. You want alternative options, and we are going to work on it. You mentioned the current financial crisis, which is what it is, and what is sure that I think I can speak freely for UNFPA, but as freely for UN Women, if I may, I think we are managing very carefully the resources that you provide us. It's taxpayer money coming from every place, and that is not a small feat for us. We are managing the financial crisis, and I must say that I'm very, very proud for my management team because we took some very drastic options at the beginning of the we get in last year and we're trying to remain onto that. Excellency from Russia, thank you for your comment and for making sure that we involve states, so probably that's why our President makes sure that we can consult with you at every level possible. We are sorry if we are not able to give the information. As I said, if we're going solo, each of— everyone, we would have given to you very long time ago, but going together obliged us really to negotiate every single step, so at least we remain agreeable to what we want to introduce to you, but not very well taken. Reform is important and we'll make sure that we integrate every part of your comment. Thank you very much. Belarus, it's very noted, Your Excellency, as well, and we'll make sure that information on all the aspects, the— even demographic migration, everything is is growing and the financial aspect as well is being taken into consideration. Portugal, thank you for your comment on the process and the preservation of the mandate and the merger. And you were the one who mentioned the GBV as last resort. I'm really working with UNSCR to see what it means in the new protection configuration for us, literally. And of course, we will submit a less different solution with less fragmentation, because we said both of us there is no status quo. Kazakhstan, thank you very much for your comment as well, and close and prudent consideration. That's what we are doing for the option to be submitted and to protect the mandate, and the cost-benefit will be analyzed as well, and option will be submitted. Australia, thank you. For the comment, I think the same thing, bold change for the future and yet alternative option we hope to submit. South Africa, thank you very much for your comment, the complementarity but not interchangeable is important to mention here as well, just like I mentioned for Africa, that we are not interchangeable. Our work is absolutely complementary and we are both needed, so that's why we are working on those options and beneficial costs to share with you. And Excellency from China, thank you very much for acknowledging the mandate, the option as well, the cost-benefits, and to inform you about options. And as you rightly said as well, reform should benefit to the countries and population. Thank you very much for that. And I think— Have I forgotten some country after China? We had someone— no. So, um, we've apologies to every country that I've missed, uh, forgotten to mention something. And if you want to come back, we are here, President, to respond to other questions. Thank you very much.

Thank you very much, uh, Mrs. Kita. Any other comments from Delegations? Well, no. I think we are now at the end of this agenda item UN80 engagement and I think our colleagues will have more time to engage on the draft decisions, among them the draft decision on UN80 which is also very much important and as we have concluded now The agenda item 18, it's the end of this afternoon session as well. We reconvene tomorrow at 10 o'clock, tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock with the UNOPS segment. This meeting is adjourned. Thank you very much.

Thank you, President. Colleagues, delegation members will resume the negotiations in Conference Room A at 5 PM. So, 5 PM.