Informal meeting of the plenary to hear a briefing on the UN80 Initiative - General Assembly, 80th session

I call to order the informal meeting of the Plenary on the UNAID Initiative. I warmly welcome you all to this meeting, and I will start with a statement as the President of the General Assembly. Excellencies, dear colleagues, dear Secretary-General and the whole team, thank you very much for joining this now regular meeting on progress under the UNAID Initiative, which today will include an update from the Secretary-General on the comprehensive report. The timing of this report is apt, coming just over 1 year since the launch of the UNAID initiative by the Secretary-General. In that time, tangible progress has been made across all 3 workstreams. Under Workstream 1, the membership responded to the ongoing liquidity crisis with the necessary restraint, meeting the revised estimates put forward by the Secretary-General, while helping place the organization on a more sustainable fiscal footing. Under Workstream 2, the recent adoption of the Mandate Implementation Resolution heralds the beginning of a new, more efficient, more restrained, and deliberate era of mandate creation, implementation, and review, one in which Member States undertake the necessary collective due diligence before proposing new mandates, while simultaneously addressing the backlog of tens of thousands of existing ones. And under Workstream III, recent briefings on the proposed mergers of the UN system entities have highlighted the complexity of assessing both the benefits and trade-offs of such reforms. They have also underscored a fundamental point: That success will require full engagement and buy-in of the membership, so of all of you, every individual member state. Meanwhile, progress is also being made across other areas of this work stream. This includes a new humanitarian compact where planning timelines have been shortened and core planning documents streamlined, as well as the establishment of joint knowledge hubs the Expertise on Demand mechanism, and the UN Data Commons. Together, these efforts reflect a broader push to improve coordination, efficiency, and delivery across the UN system, and shows if we want all together to be better, we can achieve reform steps also in these fragmented times. On each of the work streams, the recent comprehensive guides offers further detail. This will, we hope, be complemented by the report, which should allow both the pace and depth of discussion to accelerate significantly. Through it all, the voices of Member States must continue to be reflected at each new juncture. And on this they have been clear: decisions under the UNAID Initiative across all three workstreams must be predicated on efficiency and delivery. Assuring this requires comprehensive evidence-based analysis before decisions are made, adequate consultation time, and full transparency, most notably for structural reforms, which must be— proceed strictly under intergovernmental oversight. Colleagues, on these points, I would recommend that further efforts be made to strengthen the interlinkages between workstreams. Recognizing that mandates and the work of the UN systems are inextricably linked. The work of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Mandate Implementation Review can and should feed into decision-making on Workstream I and III, and vice versa, with decisions taken by Member States on mandates reflected in decisions on the budget as well as on structural changes and program realignments across the UN system. In this regard, I would especially encourage Member States to engage actively in the process within the ad hoc working group on the proposed templates and to see how this can be applied elsewhere throughout the reform process, notably to influence decision-making under Workstream 1, which is currently ongoing in the Fifth Committee. So this is interconnected, and we should really ensure that also the information flow is interconnected within missions, but also within the system. At its core, we must ask ourselves a fundamental question: What should the Secretariat look like in the next decade? Which offices and structures continue to provide clear added value, and where are reforms needed to improve efficiency, coherence, and delivery? And as the discussions are currently going on in the Fifth Committee, where many experts are and less PRs, This is a highly strategic and political discussion, and it should not be left solely to technical negotiation in the Fifth Committee, the Secretariat, or the often intense budget discussion late in the year at the ACABQ. This is a strategic discussion by the whole membership. It must go beyond negotiating individual post or marginal adjustments. It should instead focus on a broader political and strategic debate among member states on how the Secretariat, and indeed the wider UN system, can be reformed in practical and meaningful ways to make our collective work more efficient and more effective. Excellencies, dear colleagues, I would like to reiterate that while progress has been made and some key decisions may be taken during this session or within the year, implementation will require long-term commitment and consistent follow-through extending well into the 81st session. So let us use this momentum now, build on the foundation already established, sustain the momentum underway, and continue advancing reforms that strengthen this institution not only for the years ahead but for the decades to come, which was started by the Secretary-General and the UN ready reform last year. And everything we can deliver in the next month will also pay in a common understanding that we can only be Better Together. By this, I now give the floor to the Secretary-General, His Excellency Antonio Guterres. Please, you have the floor.

Madam President of the General Assembly, Excellencies, I am pleased to share an update on the UN80 Initiative, our collective push to help ensure the United Nations is best equipped to deliver for the people we serve. Let me begin by reporting back to you on my meeting last week in Tokyo with the UN Chief Executives Board, where I presented the draft of the present Progress Report. UNHCR was front and centre as a topic of great shared interest, and with strong support for its priority. The heads of UN entities have expressed total commitment to the success of UNHCR. Like you, they know it's our pathway to greater impact. I want to express my gratitude for your ongoing support for this work, and your commitment to help put our Organization in a stronger position to fulfill the mandates that you, the Member States, have given us. From accelerating progress on the Sustainable Development Goals to delivering on the Pact for the Future, and so much more. Excellencies, the first chapter of my Progress Report reflects on why this moment requires deliberate and decisive reform. Because inaction, in the face of geopolitical turmoil, would compound human suffering. And because Member States have expressed their desire to shape a stronger, more impactful UN System. That is why the reforms proposed under UN 80— strive for a system that is ever more agile, coherent, cost-effective and impactful in tackling global challenges. The second chapter of my report looks at what this initiative is designed to solve: addressing the complexity of the UN System; moving from fragmentation to coherence; improving efficiency, transparency and impact. The third chapter reviews the logic and unifying rationale that guides each of the three workstreams and ensures they reinforce one another. At its core, UNHCR calls for a paradigm shift in how the UN system organizes its work and collaborates for greater impact. From the moment Member States decide on a mandate, through the allocation of responsibilities and resources, the implementation, the assessment of impact, and the ensuring of accountability. The fourth chapter outlines some of the substantive progress achieved so far. Under Workstream 1, this includes streamlining teams and processes within the Secretariat, which falls under my direct responsibility. Notably, we realized the 21% reduction in posts for 2026, while also minimizing impact on staff, facilitated by actions we began taking in early 2024. We merged 11 teams into a common administrative platform, serving 6,000 personnel in New York, with 5 additional duty stations to follow. We launched a digital hub in Valencia to support Secretariat-wide digital service delivery. We consolidated 10 payroll centres into a single global team, relocated 220 Secretariat posts from high-cost locations, plus approximately 1,900 posts more across the UN System. Our emphasis, throughout, has been on improving consistency and reliability of support to programme delivery, eliminating parallel processes and enabling managers to focus on results. The 2027 proposed Programme Budget will highlight further opportunities: by establishing common plat— administrative platforms in Geneva, Vienna, Nairobi and Addis Ababa, and expanding the platform in New York; relocating functions to lower-cost duty stations based on functional assessments and proximity to operations and field presence; further reducing hierarchical layers at senior levels and beginning a process of senior-level post-reductions that should be amplified in the 2028 budget. Under Workstream 2, your landmark Resolution on Mandates provides a significant opportunity to strengthen discipline across their full life cycle. UNATI recognizes that mandates are the responsibility and prerogative of Member States. With Resolution 80/251, you have a tool for ensuring much more effective stewardship of how they are created, resourced, delivered and reviewed. The Secretariat is prepared to provide Member States with a range of support services that respond to your needs and expectations, in full compliance with requests addressed to us in the Resolution. We have begun piloting the new Humanitarian Compact—a push for innovation, impact and integration as we grapple with soaring needs and plummeting resources. This includes simplifying humanitarian planning; unifying humanitarian supply chains, which account for 70% of overall humanitarian spending; Strengthening the use of data and digital systems to better anticipate needs, target assistance and improve interoperability across the humanitarian system. Aligning roles and responsibilities across UN agencies. And strengthening humanitarian diplomacy. These new approaches are being piloted in 5 crisis settings: Afghanistan, Haiti, the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Somalia and Sudan. And are looking at how they can be adapted and scaled for wider use. And through the Shared Platform initiative, we are helping Resolute and humanitarian coordinators to bring together their teams around shared priorities, performance expectations and accountability. We will soon submit our review of peace operations for Member States' consideration, with recommendations for our established toolbox should adapt to the rapidly evolving nature of conflict and deteriorating global peace and security landscape. With less than 5 years left for the 2030 Agenda, country and regional arrangements are being redesigned to better support Member States and accelerate progress on the SDGs. The reconfiguration of UN country teams and recalibration of the Resident Coordinator System builds on our earlier reforms to the UN Development System, backed by a reset of the regional architecture and responding directly to General Assembly Resolution 72/279 on 1 June 2018. The aim is to move towards more contextualized, tailored country footprints, with clear criteria for presence and composition, leveraging support regionally and from across the UN System. This is why we are creating a mechanism for Expertise on Demand, so country teams can access the support they need from the system quickly and easily. It offers a common catalogue of available expertise, clear access protocols and standardized administrative arrangements. We are also developing Joint Knowledge Hubs that pool thematic know-how and analysis. The first ones will focus on trade and regional integration, productive transformation and strategic foresight. A Unified Services Roadmap is moving the System from fragmentation of support services to common arrangements. A Global Feasibility Study has shown the magnitude of the potential gains. This logic is being used in respect of technology, —on which the System now spends $2.5 billion each year—and in the creation of a UN Data Commons, with 26 entities already agreeing to bring together their data and statistics on a single platform. Work on potential structural reforms is also advancing. The transition of UNAIDS, with its capacities and mission mainstreamed into the co-sponsors of UNAIDS; the consolidation of research and training capacities and the creation of a system-wide coordination mechanism co-led by UNU and UNITAR; and the assessments of the potential mergers of UNFPA and UNWOMAN, and of UNDP and UNOPS. As these processes evolve, I will formulate and present to the General Assembly the decisions I consider appropriate. Our review of UN system activities concerning the environment is advancing well and may have implications for existing arrangements. In this regard, a mapping and analysis exercise focused on science, governance, coordination and implementation will result in an assessment report to me next month. We have also taken steps to strengthen horizontal coordination to ensure our institutional arrangements and working practices to make sure that they contribute directly to mandate delivery. While we strive to maximize effectiveness through UNHCR, it is vital that we maintain adequate capacity to fulfill mandates. I am particularly concerned when it comes to our work on human rights, which receives far fewer resources than other pillars, despite commitments made in the Pact for the Future. That is why I established the Human Rights Group to clarify responsibilities on this cross-cutting issue, share information, support coherent action across pillars and help the system deliver more effectively. The Group was launched during the CEB meeting. Excellencies, the fifth chapter of my report reminds us that we are entering a critical new phase of the UN Haiti Initiative. The phase for decisions and delivery. Some of these decisions lie within my own authority as Secretary-General, and where they do, I am mobilizing the UN system to act with energy and determination, and keeping Member States fully informed. But a great many others rest with you, the Member States, including decisions about structural reforms. But there too, The UN System has important responsibilities: to submit solid, timely proposals for your consideration, and to follow through on your decisions. Along the way, we must all be honest and impartial in our assessments. Genuine reform requires tough choices. This is no time for complacency, self-interest or foot-dragging. Like the founders of our organization 80 years ago, we must act for all humanity, —including future generations. I am heartened by our commitment—by your commitment—to the United Nations, to its values, purposes and principles. And the report intensifies 6 crucial ways in which you can help UNATD advance those aims. First, use Resolution 82251 on mandates as a strategic governance tool. —all the way from creation to implementation to impact to review. This will help strengthen transparency, efficiency, coherence and accountability, preserve Member States' full prerogatives as owners of mandates and empower them to be better informed and effective custodians of them. At the same time, it can help in— identify overlap, reduce excessive reporting and meeting burdens, clarify responsibilities and create better conditions for review, adjustment or retirement of mandates. Second, give clear direction for reconfiguration of UN country teams and resetting regional arrangements, building on relevant General Assembly and ECOSOC resolutions. The aim is to offer host countries UN responses at scale, through easier and quicker access to cohesive support from entities across all pillars, whether resident and non-resident. An important number of concrete proposals in this regard was also already presented to the ECOSOC in the QCPR report or project report. This includes providing the funding— a recalibrate— providing the funding to a recalibrated Resident Coordinated System, which requires to deliver on its commitments across many diverse contexts. Third, back the development of system-wide shared services, technology and data at scale to improve delivery and common management of technology and data across the UN System. Governing bodies can help move the System from pilots to scale by encouraging adoption of common solutions requiring transparent service standards and costs, supporting interoperability and data and technology governance, and asking entities to justify any continued duplication where shared approaches would likely deliver better value and stronger results. Fourth, weigh proposals for structural changes on their merits, notably when it comes to entity mergers, consolidation and transition, while respecting ethical rules and procedures. Many considerations will influence these decisions, and each process has its own complexities and specificities. But in every case, I urge you to focus on whether the proposed structural changes would promote already agreed objectives, protect and advance existing mandates, and improve impact. Fifth, align funding practices with the objectives of UN Haiti where appropriate, —because funding choices shape institutional behaviour. That includes core and pooled funding to strengthen coherence and accountability. This is distinct from the bedrock responsibility of all Member States to pay their regular assessed contributions in full and on time. I call on Member States to do so without conditions or delay. UNHCR can improve the way the United Nations performs,— but it cannot substitute for or compensate for failure to honour that basic treaty obligation. And 6. Apply the objectives of UN Haiti coherently across the UN system, given that some decisions will be made by the governing bodies of various UN entities, rather than here in the General Assembly. My own experience as Head of Government has shown me that the whole-of-government positions are not easy to secure. That makes consistency more important, not less. Excellencies, Member States have recognized that the case for reform is robust, and as the ones driving the UNEAT process, you will be the ones crafting its key outcomes. You can count on our full support. The Secretariat will continue to provide the information, the data, and analysis that will enable you to make fully informed decisions. Simultaneously, I will press ahead with action that falls under my authority as Secretary-General. Taking UN 80 forward is our shared responsibility. Change is a given. It's inevitable. We are all facing the choice between strategic and planned reform on the one hand, or change that is haphazard, costly, and driven by events beyond anyone's control, the Ioanneti Initiative fully reflects our commitment, our willingness, and our ability to adapt. We do this with our eyes firmly fixed on what any reform process must be all about, and that is what the people we serve deserve, ensuring we can deliver the results they need with agility, coherence, as well as delivering value for money. We must fulfil this promise. Thank you. Merci beaucoup.

I thank the Secretary-General. I now open the floor for comments or questions. This meeting will not have a pre-established list of speakers. Delegations wishing to take the floor are invited to press a microphone button. In order to allow as many member states as possible to speak, Members are requested to limit their interventions to 5 minutes when speaking on behalf of a group and 3 minutes when speaking in a national capacity. Time limit will be strictly enforced through an automatic microphone cutoff. A timer will be projected on screen, and as we have practiced many times now, the microphone will also start blinking. Those speaking on behalf of a group should approach the Secretariat to be given priority in the speaking order. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Uruguay on behalf of G77 and China, followed by Australia and Bahrain.

Thank you, Madam President, Mr. Secretary-General, Deputy Secretary-General. I have the honor to deliver this intervention on behalf of the Group of 77 and China. The Group appreciates the update provided by the Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, on the UN Haiti Initiative and takes note with appreciation of the latest progress report. The Group wishes to reiterate its request that the relevant reports and presentations be provided to Member States in advance of the briefings in order to facilitate more substantive exchanges. Mr. Secretary-General, at the outset, let me reaffirm the Group's the Group of 77 and China's strong support for you and for the UN Haiti Initiative, as well as the overarching objective of achieving a paradigm shift in how the UN system organizes its work in order to deliver greater impact on the ground for the people we serve. The Group recognizes that multilateralism and international cooperation faces unprecedented challenges and it remains firmly committed to the United Nations and its purposes and principles as set out in the UN Charter. The Group of 77 and China agrees with your report that the purpose of reform is not change for the sake of change and that at this stage the overall direction and scale of UN aid lie in the hands of member states to determine— the Group remains firmly committed to engaging in all relevant deliberations actively and constructively, with the aim of ensuring that all processes are transparent and inclusive, thereby enabling a more effective, efficient, equitable, and truly representative United Nations system. The Group also wishes to emphasize that any reform proposal should not lead to the dilution of development mandates, nor jeopardize longstanding country-level work carried out by the UN development entities. Reform efforts should strengthen impact and delivery on the ground, be guided by a data-driven and evidence-based approach, and be supported by cost-benefit analysis, comprehensive risk assessments, and appropriate risk mitigation measures. Any structural adjustment should respond to clearly identified challenges and respect the operational realities of field presences. In this regard, the Group appreciates your report's recognition that a one-size-fits-all formula is inadequate given the diversity of national contexts. Finally, the Group of 77 and China remains committed to continuing to engage constructively in the negotiations laid by the ad hoc working group on mandate implementation review in a manner that respects the diversity of mandates, governance structures, membership, as well as financial and administrative arrangements across the United Nations system. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Uruguay on behalf of G77 and China. I now give the I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Australia on behalf of CANZ.

Thank you very much indeed, President, and I thank the Secretary-General both for the progress report and this morning's very useful briefing. As noted, I speak for Canada, New Zealand, and Australia. We'd like to make 4 points on the progress report. First, we welcome the progress made on several work packages. These are already improving the efficiency and effectiveness of our United Nations.. We encourage continued work on reforms to improve interoperability, reduce duplication, and strengthen system-wide coherence. The new Humanitarian Compact, particularly the work led by USG Fletcher to strengthen common services and improve humanitarian delivery systems, is a strong example of this. We also recognize the significant potential of common administrative platforms and system-wide shared services and critical common enablers to enhance efficiency, transparency, and coherence, and to strengthen UN delivery, as outlined by you, Secretary-General, this morning. We encourage you to press forward with these efficiency reforms, including in your 2027 budget proposals. We are committed to supporting you in these efforts, including through our engagement in relevant intergovernmental processes. Second, we see strong potential in the country team and regional reforms to improve how the United Nations works on the ground to deliver results. We look forward to advancing discussions on these at the ECOSOC Operational Activities Segment in June. To fully realize their potential, country and regional structures need to be tailored to specific contexts. This requires a clear understanding of in-country needs and capacities, including service delivery in remote areas, and close collaboration with local partners such as host governments and regional organizations. We welcome your recognition of this point in the latest report. Strengthening the Resident Coordinator System will be critical to address fragmentation, improve coherence, and better align the United Nations' work with national regional priorities. We support strengthening and diversifying the tools available to resident coordinators, including improvements to funding and accountability arrangements. Third, we believe that the proposed entity mergers and other structural proposals should be judged on their merits and based on clear evidence, including regarding their ability to strengthen delivery and impact on while fully preserving agreed mandates and programs. We once again underscore the pivotal role of the Executive Boards in reviewing merger proposals. We also welcome your commitment to provide further information through dedicated reports on all proposals requiring member state decisions so member states can be confident that our decisions are properly informed. Fourth, we, the member states, The United Nations leadership and the Secretariat must reaffirm our commitment to reform. The adoption of Resolution 8251 was an important milestone towards improving our organization. We must now redouble efforts towards its effective implementation, and CANZ remains committed to doing so. As you note in the report, impactful reform requires a cultural shift centered on greater efficiency, efficacy, effectiveness, transparency, and accountability. Achieving this shift means holding both the United Nations system and ourselves as member states to high levels of transparency, efficiency, coherence, and accountability for results. We also must be clear in our expectation that the next Secretary-General needs to demonstrate a strong commitment to urgent, sustained, and ambitious reform, but don't let me say that without acknowledging, I think, the very real efforts Secretary-General, of your work over the last period. Ultimately, it's our collective responsibility as the United Nations to sustain this reform momentum to achieve a more efficient and effective organization at a time when it is needed more than ever. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Australia on behalf of CANZ. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Bahrain on behalf of the Gulf Cooperation Council. Followed by Guyana and the Solomon Islands.

Shukran, Sayyedah. Thank you, Madam President. At the outset, I have the honor to deliver the statement on behalf of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries: the United Arab Emirates, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Sultanate of Oman, the State of Kuwait, the State of Qatar, and my country, the Kingdom of Bahrain. The states of the Gulf Cooperation Council join the statement delivered by the representative of the Republic of Uruguay on behalf of the Group of 77 and China. Please allow me to add the following remarks. At the outset, the GCC states express their deep thanks and appreciation to His Excellency the Secretary-General for his review of the progress report of the UN80 Initiative. We took note of the tangible progress made by this initiative through the achievements accomplished in its three work streams. We also followed with great interest the future steps planned for, for the next stages. Madam President, in light of the rapid developments and the exacerbation of international crises and conflicts in the world today, And with the increasing current and future challenges facing the work of the United Nations, the GCC states reaffirm their full support for the Secretary-General's UN80 initiative and the efforts made to enhance efficiency and effectiveness and reduce duplication within the organization in order to contribute to enhancing its ability to carry out its mandates. We affirm this because our states are well aware that the U.N. Haiti Initiative today represents a key path to move forward in enhancing multilateral action and achieving our aspired goals through collective action. In this regard, we stress the importance of these steps being carried out within a process led and fully supervised by member states, from development of plans to their implementation in a deliberate and gradual approach that ensures the highest standards of efficiency and effectiveness while fully adhering to the principles of transparency, accountability, and equal opportunities. And this must be done within the framework of the geographically equitable distribution of positions and posts in all sectors. Madam President, the States of the Council reiterate their call to build on the success achieved in the adoption of Resolution A/RES/80/251 on the establishment, implementation, and review of mandates for an efficient and effective United Nations. The resolution stressed the importance of collective action and international cooperation as a basis for adapting to future and emerging challenges. In the third work stream, the GCC states support advanced planning, coordination, and integration of efforts, and the use of technology in the United Nations humanitarian system. We also support implementing the new humanitarian compact to strengthen humanitarian action in its various fields and to enhance efficiency and effectiveness and reduce duplication in this field. Madam President, the GCC states believe that the proposed structural measures are a necessity imposed by the current situation. We believe in their importance as an effective tool to enhance institutional effectiveness and efficiency and to increase the organization's ability to fulfill its mandates. At the same time, the Council states— stress that these measures should not reflect negatively on the functioning of any organs or the implementation of the mandates adopted by the member states. We also stress that these structural reforms should be under direct supervision and continuous follow-up with member states. In conclusion, the GCC states will continue to actively participate in the consultations on the Secretary-General's UN80 initiative. We will continue to submit proposals that contribute to enhancing the achievement of our desired results and and objectives in order to build a more efficient, coherent, and results-oriented UN system through gradual administrative and institutional member state-led reform. Thank you.

Thank you. I thank the distinguished representative of Bahrain. As the next speaker is not ready, we move on to Solomon Islands on behalf of the Pacific Island Forum, followed by Fiji.

Thank you, Madam President. I have the honor to speak on behalf of the members of the Pacific Islands Forum represented in New York. I thank the Secretary-General for his briefing on progress in the UN aid reform initiative. The UN plays an important role in supporting the sustainable development aspirations of the Pacific Island countries. There are several areas in which the UN expertise and assistance is especially significant in supporting national and regional development plans and supplementing local initiatives. Given the limited national capacities of many Pacific Island countries, the UN Subregional Multi-Country Offices have played an essential role in enabling them to meaningfully access UN support and ensure it is timely, effective, and well-coordinated. Madam President, given the importance we place on the UN's contribution in our region, the PIF members are engaging constructively with the UN reform proposals. We see this as providing important and timely opportunities to strengthen UN delivery on the ground by addressing current shortcomings that hamper its impact and effectiveness. We are supportive of reforms that reduce fragmentation, improve coordination and coherence, and enhance the UN's alignment with regional plans and priorities, and with its core value add. The UN Haiti Initiative contains a number of proposals with significant implications for the UN's presence and delivery in our region. Including those concerning the reconfiguration of UN country teams and regional offices, the strengthening of the UN Resident Coordinator System, and enhanced flexibility in deploying skills and expertise across the UN system. Madam President, we welcome the recognition in the SG's report that implementation of this reform needs to be tailored to specific national and regional contexts. In this regard, the PIF members wish to highlight 4 key points that should underpin further development and will be essential for their effective implementation in our region. First, continuity and presence on the ground in the form of the MCOs is essential. In the Pacific, geographic dispersion and national capacity constraints mean that In-country and regional presence should be seen as operational requirements, not overhead costs. Retention of technical expertise, institutional knowledge, and relationships will be critical for effective delivery. We welcome the opportunities presented by the UN Haiti Initiative to review and optimize the UN's presence in the region. At the same time, proposed changes must be must be assessed against delivery impact. Second, the Resident Coordinator System has the potential to play a critical role in addressing ongoing issues of UN fragmentation and lack of coherence in our region. The system is not yet delivering on its potential, and we support strengthening the RC leadership. This requires stronger incentives for UN entities to work through the RCs, including through changes to accountability reporting and funding structures. We also need to ensure our CSOs have the right skills, tools, experience, knowledge, and seniority to be effective. Third, the Pacific regional organizations play a central role in sustainable development policy planning and implementation in our region. Better UN alignment and coordination with Pacific regional architecture would help improve delivery, coordination, and strategic alignment and should be a central principle and objective for UN reforms in the Pacific. Such coordination should also be sensitive to these agencies' capacities and bandwidth. Fourth, the regional reset and expertise-on-demand work packages have the potential to improve delivery on the ground and shift resources from administrative overheads to program delivery. However, such reforms must also take account of regional and national realities to ensure UN services remain accessible, meaningful, and effective. In the Pacific, consideration should be given to concentrating expertise at sub-regional level, that is within the Pacific, rather than in remote Secretariat UN hubs where Pacific Island countries have limited diplomatic presence. This is particularly important for the remote provision of services in the areas where local context and established relationships are important for delivery. In conclusion, Madam President, the PIF members wish to reiterate their support for the UNAT reform agenda and our commitment to working with you to ensure this—

I thank the distinguished representative of the Solomon Islands on behalf of the Pacific Island Forum. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Fiji on behalf of the Pacific Pacific Small Island Development State, followed by the European Union.

Madam President, I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the Pacific Small Island Developing States. We align ourselves with the statement delivered by Solomon Islands on behalf of the Forum. We thank the Secretary-General for the candid progress report presented today, at this critical moment as the United Nations seeks to strengthen delivery. For the Pacific, geography defines our vulnerability. Our remoteness magnifies the cost of connectivity, the difficulty of coordination, and the urgency of reliable UN presence in our region. A reformed United Nations must strengthen its footprint in the Pacific, ensuring that support is not only accessible but tailored to the realities of small, distant island nations. For Peace Seeds, the UN system remains the primary multilateral architecture through which global commitments under the three pillars of the Charter are are translated into support for those most exposed to their consequences. UNAT reform must place climate resilience at its core, including the implementation of the BB&J Agreement through enhanced financing for adaptation and streamlined access to resources. The global commitment to meeting the 1.5°C target must remain central to the UN reform agenda. On country and regional presence, Peace Seeds underlines that multi-country offices remain essential for ensuring small island states can access coordinated UN support. Any reconfiguration must be evaluated against the delivery impact rather than administrative convenience. On the Resident Coordinator System, we support stronger incentives, accountability, and funding that enable genuine coordination aligned with national policies. On Expertise on Demand, we urge sub-regional concentration within the Pacific to ensure accessibility for countries, with limited presence in major UN hubs. On the structural proposals under Workstream 3, PCEED stresses that the entity mergers, consolidations, and transitions must be evaluated carefully against their implications for mandate of direct relevance to Small Island Developing States. For transparency in the assessments made available to Member States is essential, and PCEED will engage actively in the relevant intergovernmental processes. The UNATD reform process unfolds alongside frameworks that represent foundational commitments to peace seeds: the Antigua and Barbuda Agreement for Seeds, the Pact for the Future, the Sea Level Rise Political Declaration process, and the resolution responding to the ICJ advisory opinion on climate change obligations. These are interconnected. A reformed and more effective UN system is only meaningful for our countries if it is capable of delivering on the climate imperative. We call on Member States to ensure coherence across these parallel tracks. Yet reforms will mean little if they remain aspirational. We urge clear timelines, accountability mechanisms and safeguards to ensure that pooled funding and structural realignment do not disadvantage small States. Equity must be the guiding principle. Peace Age remains committed to constructive engagement in the decisive months ahead, and we look forward to the outcomes that leave this organization better equipped to serve those who need it most. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Fiji on behalf of the Pacific Small Island Developing States. I now give the floor to the European Union on behalf of the EU and its member states, followed by the first member states in the national capacity, Colombia and the Maldives.

Thank you, Madam President. Madam President, distinguished colleagues, I deliver this statement on behalf of the European Union and its Member States. Secretary-General, I thank you for your latest progress report, which provides Member States with key insights into the state of the reform process, outlines the important next steps, and sets out key asks for support from Member States. The report sends a clear message: the time for implementation is now, and delaying action would only deepen the challenges the Organization is already facing. The European Union appreciates the substantial efforts by the Secretariat to support Member States in navigating this system-wide reform, notably through proposals, reports, and briefings that have been vital for an informed decision-making process based on evidence and data. A full and transparent picture of the efficiencies is essential to ensure that efforts to streamline structures and functions do not disproportionately affect mandate delivery across any of the UN's three pillars. We agree that we are at a critical junction in the UNAID process, and the need for the UN's presence and impact on the ground is greater than ever, in a context of funding challenges, geopolitical fragmentation, and threats to multilateralism. Allow me to make three observations on the progress report. One, echoing the Secretary-General's call for Member States to approach Resolution Resolution 80/251 as a governance tool, the EU wishes to stress the importance of Workstream 2 in relieving the burden of duplicative mandates both on Member States and the UN. We call on all UN entities and Member States to participate in this culture shift. The templates, criteria and modalities to be developed by the Working Group are among the key deliverables of the UNAID reform. And they will soon be finalized and need to be operationalized across the UN system. Second, the EU also reiterates the urgent need to strengthen coherence, results, and impacts across the UN system. This is essential when it comes to shared services, technology, and data. And in this regard, we commend the Secretariat's efforts and progress to consolidate system-wide services, to approve efficiency, quality, and delivery. As Member States, we must lead by example in supporting data governance, transparent service standards, and joint efforts to achieve greater efficiency. And third, making the UN Development System more impactful and efficient to achieve the SDGs is a key priority, and we therefore welcome the efforts to promote country and regional arrangements in that direction, including country team reconfiguration, expertise on demand, regional reset, and joint knowledge hubs. As part of that, and crucially, the EU stands ready to support a strengthened Resident Coordinator system, so that RCs can deliver as empowered leaders and accountable partners. We further stress that a coherent and effective UN presence at country level requires sustained integration of human rights considerations across all UN activities. In accordance with existing mandates and the UN Charter. Excellencies, dear colleagues, let us remind ourselves of the unique opportunity UNAD represents to ensure the UN's lasting impact beyond 2026, for many decades to come, for the people the UN aims to serve. We must accelerate implementation on Workstream III and strive to build consensus, even on the most difficult questions. At the same time, we are mindful of our responsibility to ensure that decisions are made based on evidence, so that they remain sustainable for years to come. Mandates must not be undermined. The UN can count on the European Union's continued support of the UNAID Initiative to make the UN more agile, efficient and effective in responding to the complex multiple crises facing us today. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of the European Union. On behalf of the EU and its member states, I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Colombia, followed by the Maldives and Guyana on behalf of the Caribbean Com.

I thank the President for convening this briefing, and I thank the Secretary-General for the information that he provided. Colombia aligns itself with the statement by the G77 G7 and China, and would like to add a few additional points in its national capacity. Colombia is thankful for the presentation of the UN Haiti Initiative progress report by the Secretary-General. We recognize the critical juncture that the multilateral system is facing. Current challenges demonstrate the urgent need to keep moving forward towards a reform that strengthens the organization's ability to generate concrete results. My delegation values the progress achieved thus far and in particular the comprehensive approach to reform that is focused on aligning mandates, structures, resources, and means of implementation— mechanisms of implementation. This approach is essential in order to reduce fragmentation, to improve the coherence of the system, and to strengthen accountability before member states. Along the same lines, Colombia would highlight the leadership of member states in this process. It is an essential condition for its legitimacy and success. My country reiterates its commitment to effective, inclusive, and financially sustainable multilateralism. In that regard, we believe it is essential that the reform preserve substantive mandates and the specialized capacities of the system, making sure that institutional efficiency is achieved by taking into account the realities and needs of developing countries and middle-income countries. At the same time, Colombia highlights the importance of the proposed transformations making a direct contribution to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. In that context, we think it is essential for program realignments and adjustments resulting from the reform, particularly at the level of country teams, be developed through informed, transparent dialogue processes that are closely coordinated with member states so that they can make an effective contribution to national realities and priorities. We also highlight the need to ensure stable, predictable, and sufficient financing that makes it possible to turn mandates into tangible results, particularly in areas of great sensitivity such as humanitarian affairs and sustainable development. Lastly, Colombia reiterates that UN80 represents a historic opportunity to consolidate lessons learned and good practices and to build a UN that is more coherent, effective, and results-oriented without sacrificing the principles that underpin its legitimacy. Thank you, President.

I thank the distinguished representative of Colombia. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Maldives.

Thank you, Madam President. I thank the Secretary-General for presenting the progress report on the UN initiative. UNAID initiative. The Maldives offers 5 reflections on the progress report. First, country presence must remain at the center of UNAID. For SIDS, proximity often equals performance. The Resident Coordinator and the UN Country Team are the main gateways through which Small Island Developing States access the system. We request the Secretariat to provide clear criteria impact assessment and safeguards to ensure that any recalibration does not dilute country-level supports for Small Island Developing States. Second, mandate implementation review must help Member States, not burden them. Resolution 80/251 gives us useful tools, but concept notes and templates should not weaken the sovereign prerogative of Member States to propose mandates including during the middle of negotiations. Third, reform must protect continuity of service. The report does not— the report notes that some work packages are being implemented, some are nearing decisions, and others require further design. Major transitions should be accompanied by clear timelines, risk assessments, and continuity safeguards and accountability mechanisms. Fourth, any merger, consolidation, or transition must be accompanied by evidence of added value, protection of existing mandates, transition costs, staffing implications, and country-level impact. Fifth, the UNAT must be judged by outcomes, not activity. The report notes that progress is uneven and that objective metrics are not yet available for all work packages. We encourage the Secretariat to develop a clear results framework with practical indicators incorporating feedback from Member States, especially program countries. The Maldives stands ready to encourage— ready to engage constructively towards the outcome. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of the Maldives. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Guyana on behalf of the Caribbean community. Followed by Romania and Japan.

Madam President, I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the 14 member states of the Caribbean community, CARICOM. CARICOM aligns itself with the statement delivered by Uruguay on behalf of G77 and China. We thank the Secretary-General for his briefing and for the progress report on the UN80 Initiative. We appreciate the continued engagement of member states through regular consultations and updates as this process advances. CARICOM recognizes the challenging global environment in which the United Nations is operating, including growing geopolitical tensions, increasing humanitarian demands, widening development gaps, and significant financial pressures across the multilateral system. In this context, Caricom acknowledges the importance of efforts aimed at improving the effectiveness, coherence, and delivery of the UN system. At the same time, Caricom underscores that this process must remain firmly member states driven in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, existing mandates, and applicable intergovernmental processes. We therefore attach great importance to continued transparency transparency, inclusivity, and meaningful consultation as discussions on the various proposals continue to evolve. Madam President, CARICOM also wishes to stress the importance of ensuring that reform efforts remain responsive to the realities and priorities of developing countries, particularly Small Island Developing States. For our region, The effectiveness of the UN system is closely tied to whether support is accessible, responsive to national circumstances, and capable of addressing our vulnerabilities in a coherent and sustained manner. In this regard, we will continue to follow closely the proposals related to the reconfiguration of UN country teams, regional arrangements, expertise on demand mechanisms, and joint knowledge hubs. These discussions carry significant and special implications for SIDS, including with respect to access to technical expertise, institutional presence, development support, and regional coordination. Any recalibration of country and regional arrangements should therefore strengthen the UN's capacity to support program countries on the ground, and fully reflect the unique vulnerabilities and capacity constraints of SIDS. Madam President, CARICOM is also carefully following discussions concerning possible structural changes within the UN development system, including the assessments referenced in the report regarding potential mergers involving UNDP and UNOPS, as well as UNFPA and UN Women. These are important and consequential matters that require careful, evidence-based consideration through the appropriate intergovernmental processes. In CARICOM's view, any proposals of this nature should clearly demonstrate how they would improve delivery, preserve mandated functions, avoid unintended gaps in support, and respond to the needs and priorities of program countries, particularly developing countries and SIDS. With respect to Workstream 2, CARICOM takes note of the adoption of Resolution 80/251 and the ongoing efforts relating to mandate creation, implementation, and review. We will continue to engage constructively as this work progresses. Madam President, CARICOM remains committed to constructive engagement on the UNHCR initiative. The United Nations must remain capable of responding effectively to current and emerging global challenges while upholding multilateralism and supporting the priorities of all Member States. We look forward to continued consultations in the period ahead. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Guiana. On behalf of CARICOM, I now give the floor to the Senior Representative of Romania.

Thank you very much, Madam President, and thank you for convening this briefing, and we look forward to continuously engaging with the Secretary-General and colleagues. Mr. Secretary-General, thank you very much for this progress report, which is not just a piece of paper. I think it's a good mirror that we also have to look into. Some positive aspects, some less positive. I was myself taken aback by the number of reports produced by the Secretariat in 2024, which is 2,000 reports. I wonder how many of us have read all these reports. About 1,100 went to the General Assembly directly, but I can only imagine the type of mandates that we have created as member states, the type of work that is put into it by the Secretariat, because these reports were issued by the Secretariat. It's amazing. I'm also looking at another tension in that report that you very wisely explain in the report. We have invested about $2.5 billion in the ICT infrastructure of 28 organizations, and yet only about 14% of the organizations report high or very high digital maturity, which is, I think, quite important for all of us to advance this important agenda, especially when ICT and new technologies take a very good shape. I will not have time to address everything, but I have to say that I consider this report as a very important progress in our quest to deliver meaningful results under UN80. I look back at where we were in March 2025 and where we are now, and I think you have charted a very solid way for Member States, for the Secretariat, and for the UN entities. And if implemented, I think we can end up before the High-Level Week and before the end of this year in a much better spot. Romania, as you know, has been a very strong supporter of this process and will continue to do. We do have trust in this effort that you have instilled with Member States, and we don't like to look at the alternative, because the alternative is just maintaining the status quo that is not accompanying the United Nations in this important phase of its existence, entering already the 9th decade of existence. I also want to use a few seconds, using my other hat as President of the Triple Board, I very much welcome your engagement and your team as well with the triple board and member states. We had a chance to discuss together with our colleagues from the UN Women Bureau as well this week and to compare notes on the mergers. The mergers are important and of course member states maintain an important role in this effort and I think we do look forward to continue our conversations with the entities and yourself. I also look very much forward to your report later next month. I think we have to define this process as being very crucial, and it's not just a simple word. It's crucial for the very existence and the role of multilateralism and the way we serve these important objectives that we have developed. So that's why I think the timeline of the process is very much important. We cannot drag our feet. We simply have to deliver.

I thank the distinguished representative of Romania. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Japan, followed by South Africa and Ethiopia.

Thank you, Madam President. At the outset, I would like to express my appreciation for the informative briefing by Secretary-General. Japan welcomes the progress report released on May 26th, which takes stock on the progress made so far and indicates remaining challenges. In the face of multifaceted difficulties, we must discuss how we can make the UN more efficient and effective by eliminating duplications, fostering closer collaboration among specialized agencies, by preventing siloing the efforts. Ultimately, the organization must function as one UN to address complex global challenges more efficiently. We also urge the Secretary-General to present a clear timeline for the final delivery of UNAID. Japan reiterates that evidence-based analysis and fact-driven dialogue is essential to accomplish a meaningful reform. Along this line, any reform of the UN development system must ensure that institutional changes directly translate into robust coordination and enhanced agility, while reflecting specific needs to address the realities on the ground. Japan welcomes the objective of cost-effectiveness and operational efficiency behind the proposed restructuring of UNFPA, UN Women, UNDP, and UNOPS. At the same time, the organizational restructuring should not be an end in itself. As we approach 2030, it is essential that their respective longstanding mandates remain preserved, their delivery is not compromised, and all modalities are developed in close consultation with member states. Furthermore, we trust that reform measures such as regional reset and country team configuration will enhance system efficiency and cost reductions. While ensuring they reflect the UN overall priorities— policy priorities which are supported by member states. To this end, any strengthening of the RC system should be flexibly tailored to host countries' specific needs and context while addressing key challenges recognized by member states. Japan stands ready to engage constructively and looks forward to continued transparency to assess the proposed reform initiatives. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Japan. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of South Africa.

Thank you very much for giving me the floor, Madam President, Secretary-General, Deputy Secretary-General, Sadhaka ala indhisaaf with the G77 plus China statement and thanks the Secretary-General for the UN80 Initiative progress report. The report provides an update on what has been operationalized on the UN reform agenda with clear guidance on what is expected from UN member states moving forward. I would like to make the following 4 observations on behalf of my delegation. Firstly, the report illustrates alarming statistics on the regressive rate of sustainable development in some economies of the Global South, decreases in international and development assistance, and that only 35% of SDGs are on track or moderately being achieved. Development is a core pillar of the, and the UN80 Initiative should preserve the UN's development mandate, supporting Agenda 2030 and the Pact for the Future. Secondly, on the work stream 1, cost-saving efficiency remains important for value addition on assessed contributions. However, the decline of core funding and surging areas of assessed contributions is a glaring reality in the report. A reformed and efficient UN can only materialize if financial obligations are made timeously, in full, and without condition by all UN Member States. Thirdly, on Workstream II, the report is lauded for acknowledging the positive strides made in refining the mandate cycle. However, active implementation of Resolution 80/251 should not become an impediment inhibiting the creation, implementation, and review of UN mandates that address core development challenges facing the Global South. Fourth, on work stream 3, South Africa will continue to reiterate supporting structural and programmatic alignment through possible measures for efficiency and cost-saving measures. This will be conditional on seamless mandate delivery, effective governance, adequate funding, and country-level delivery whereby the UN development agenda is not compromised. Lastly, Madam President, South Africa takes careful note of the 6 calls made by the Secretary-General to UN member states. We look forward to working closely in an open, transparent, and accountable manner in achieving our common goal of reforming our organization. We owe this to current and future generations. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of South Africa. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Ethiopia, followed by Indonesia and El Salvador.

Thank you, Madam President, for giving me the floor and for convening this briefing session. Ethiopia aligns itself with the statement delivered by Uruguay on behalf of the Group of 77 in China. My delegation once again expresses its appreciation to the Secretary-General and his team for the comprehensive updates and his continued engagement on the progress of the UN Haiti Initiative. Through these regular engagements, our understanding of the purpose of UN Haiti, its importance, the interlinkage among the three work streams, and the status of the individual work packages has become significantly clearer. We also note that the comprehensive guide to the UN Haiti Initiative work package shared last month provides a solid basis for assessing the merit and implications of each reform proposal. Reform proposals, whether they aim at consolidation, merger, or enhanced coordination, should be designed to address duplication and fragmentation of mandates. They should not be used as a means to reduce the size of the United Nations or diminish the resources required for effective programme delivery. Madam President, my delegation recognizes that a carefully considered and deliberate reform process is essential to translating the priorities already set by Member States, including those in the 2030 Agenda and the Pact for the future into tangible results. For this reason, we stress that the UNAT process must not become an excuse to retreat from our collective commitment to the United Nations and its values and purposes. The objective of ensuring effective and efficient mandate delivery across all three pillars of the work of the UN is a shared responsibility that requires the concerted efforts of Member States, the Secretariats, and the broader UN system. To that effect, we reaffirm our strong support for the UN Haiti Initiative and look forward to continued constructive engagement. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Ethiopia. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Indonesia.

Thank you, Madam President. Indonesia aligns itself with the statement by Uruguay on behalf of the G77 and China and wish to add points in our national capacity. We extend our sincere appreciation to the Secretary-General for presenting the comprehensive progress report on the UNAT Initiative. As we face increasingly complex, globalized, and urgent challenges, a deliberate reform of our multilateral architecture is not just inevitable, It is therefore imperative to ensure that the United Nations remains adaptive and fit for the future. Allow me to share further comments on the report. First, Indonesia takes note of the structural and operational advancement achieved within the Secretariat, particularly the implementation of common administrative platforms, staff relocation, and streamlined processes in administrative lines. Second, we welcome the utilization of digital digital technologies, including the AI and data, to enhance effectiveness and efficiency. However, we note that the report also mentioned the digital gap in the UN organizations. In this regard, we wish to underscore the importance of ensuring data security, as well as ensuring that both the data and the methodologies employed accurately reflect conditions on the ground, maintain data integrity, and anticipate data discrepancies. Furthermore, we emphasize the critical need to safeguard impactful delivery within local context, ensuring it is not compromised. To achieve this, maintaining intensive coordination and seamless synergy between the host country and the UN Resident Coordinator remains absolutely vital. Finally, as we acknowledge that the horizon of this initiative extends beyond 2026, 26, maintaining institutional memory is critical. A transparent, detailed mapping of the overall progress and future timelines will be indispensable to preserve accountability and provide a structured baseline for the upcoming transitional period. To conclude, Indonesia reaffirms its steadfast commitment to contributing constructively to the ongoing UNEAT initiative deliberations. I thank you, Madam President.

I thank the distinguished representative of Indonesia. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of El Salvador, followed by Sweden and Australia.

Muchas gracias. Thank you very much, Madam President, Mr. Secretary-General. El Salvador is grateful for the inputs and the achievements presented by the Secretary-General regarding the implementation of the UNAT Initiative, including efforts to make headway in the identification of measures to to strengthen the effectiveness, efficiency, and response capacity of the United Nations. My delegation welcomes those actions that aim to simplify processes, rationalize services, and to make the best use of supply chains, as well as all other efforts aimed at reducing duplication to ensure that work is more efficient at headquarters and in the field. Moreover, we reiterate our readiness to continue examining the outstanding standing proposals under Workstream 3, with the conviction that structural reforms require informed decisions that are rooted in verifiable evidence and accompanied by clarity as to their institutional, operational, and financial implications. And all of this with a view to ensuring the full and effective participation of member states. Madam President, Mr. Secretary-General, the pursuit of efficiencies and institutional modernization can and should include the revision of mandates and the reduction of duplications where relevant. However, this exercise needs to be done carefully and based on evidence, properly taking into account the functions, mandates, and specifics of the various different subsidiary bodies, main committees of the General Assembly, and the mechanisms established by member states. As well as the importance of maintaining an appropriate balance between the three pillars of the organization, ensuring that rationalization processes strengthen the capacities of the system in a balanced way, particularly in the areas of development and international peace and security. And this with the ultimate aim of improving implementation and impact on the ground. In this regard, we look forward to the presentation of realistic and balanced proposals that are based on evidence when it comes to peacekeeping missions, as well as the recalibration of the Resident Coordinator System and everything that has to do with the reconfiguration of country teams and the various different proposals for mergers and institutional reorganization that are currently being evaluated. As we have said on numerous occasions, El Salvador will continue to evaluate UNAT proposals based on three fundamental criteria: real impact on the ground, long-term sustainability, and their effective contribution to making the organization more coherent and better prepared to respond to present and future challenges. Thank you very much.

I thank the distinguished representative of El Salvador. I now give the floor to the distinguished The distinguished representative of Sweden, followed by— I'm sorry, Austria, not Australia— and France.

Secretary General, Madam President, Excellencies, Sweden aligns itself with the EU statement and would like to add the following in our national capacity. We extend our gratitude to you, Secretary General, and to your entire team for your tireless UNHCR reform efforts. The report presented today shows a dedication from the UN and from Member States. Progress has already been made. The adopted resolution on mandate implementation is a milestone. The UN regular budget for 2026 was a welcome result. We also take note of progress in Track 3, not least in the new humanitarian compact. It is, however, important to recognize that much work remains. Enhanced delivery at country level must remain at the core of the collective reform effort. The strengthening of the RC function, strategic UN presence at country at the country level through country teams that are flexible, effective, demand-driven, while taking financial realities into account, and the development of strategic UN sustainable development cooperation frameworks are all key building blocks for an efficient and effective UN. If enhanced efforts for increased administrative efficiencies with common back offices and shared services is added, the UN could be more effective within a couple of years. Madam President, we continue to note with great concern challenges in relation to some of the core values of the UN. Sweden remains firm in our defense of normative mandates on human rights, gender equality, sexual and reproductive health and rights. We have carefully analyzed the assessment of a potential merger of UN Women and UNFPA and asked us the very same questions you pose: would it protect and preserve existing mandates and improve impact. Based on the information received to date, we cannot quite see how. Sweden thus reiterates the request made by the Executive Board as regards alternatives to a merger that would further UNHCR reform objectives. Madam President, Sweden is a steadfast supporter of UNHCR and its basic premise, revitalizing and strengthening the ability of a jointly owned organization to deliver on the SDGs. Sweden's support for UN aid reform and a revitalized UN remains as strong as ever. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Sweden. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Austria.

Thank you, Madam President. Madam President, Secretary General, all protocols observed, Austria aligns itself with the EU statement. As host of one of the four United Nations headquarters in Vienna, Austria is a strong supporter of the UN ADI process. We need that reform, and we need to hold serious debates how to strengthen the relevance and the visibility of the UN and how to translate our work into real-life impact for the entire membership and for our citizens. Workstream 1 has brought about significant reductions in staff and budget, with particularly tough consequences for smaller entities such as UNOSA. We appreciate that some balance was achieved through relocations to lower-cost duty stations. Mr. Secretary General, we welcome your announcements today on efficiency gains, such as, to name one example, data and statistics single platform creation and many others. We thank the co-facilitators, Carolyn and Brian, of the informal ad hoc working group on Workstream 2. Whose efforts have resulted in a resolution on mandates, an important first step, but only a first step. We will continue to engage to make further progress. As concerns Workstream 3, we need to have a clear picture of restructuring proposals, decision-making processes, and factual consequences. This includes the reconfiguration of UN country teams, the creation of the Human Rights Group, and increased cooperation between UNOCT, UNODC and other stakeholders in the field of counter-terrorism. We look also forward to the Peace Operations Review expected in June. I would like to thank you, Secretary-General, for your efforts and your team to make the UN fit for purpose and to manage the liquidity crisis. We echo calls that all Member States pay their contributions in full and on time— just like Austria and many others do. We have to work together towards a refurbished UN that serves all Member States. You can count on Austria's support. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Austria. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of France, followed by the Russian Federation and Namibia.

Merci, Madame— Thank you, Madame President. Secretary-General, We listened to your report very carefully, thank you, and thanks go out to your team. France aspires for a stronger UN across the three pillars, which makes the most of its resources, a more legible UN which speaks with one voice. This year's budgetary efforts, the working method that was adopted on mandates which need to be further implemented, inch us closer to the objectives we've We're in a decisive moment for the third track of UN80. Clarity, ambition, and determination. These are our guiding principles. The way France sees it, there are four challenges. We need to explain how UN's structural reform meets the needs of the populations we serve. Recalibrating UN teams, local and regional, mobilizing expertise on demand, agency mergers. How will these efforts accelerate the fight against poverty, access to basic services, and the energy transition? The reform of UN supply chains, which was initiated within the framework, will help us to ensure that every dollar saved is an extra dollar that we can use to feed, to care, and protect. This needs to be clearly conveyed so that it is fully understood by our fellow citizens. Second, priority must be placed on the peacekeeping operations review. This lies at the heart of our organization, and it must be strengthened and adapted to tackle contemporary challenges and a global security situation which is going from bad to worse. The ministerial conference in Rabat on peacekeeping in a Francophone environment put the spotlight on the high expectations set for the future of all peacekeeping operations, especially as regards the framing, diversification of partnerships, and capacity building. Third, applying the principle of coherence to the entire UN system. This requires three things. First, reducing the number of entities wherever possible. France views agency mergers that have been proposed through this lens, although the mandates must be fully respected. Next, coordinating system-wide action. The proposals put forward by the Secretariat on environmental issues are very welcome. Global health and digital should follow in their stead. Last but not least, clearly reasserting the Secretary-General's authority so as to provide a lodestar for all parties in the system. All of the above efforts will be in vain unless member states to pay their contributions in full and on time. This is a collective obligation on which the credibility of this organization and our own hinges. France also calls for the issue of the sustainability of payroll and the pension system to be incorporated into the UN 80 reform as they've been done— as has been done so by the Fifth Committee. We expect guidance on this from the Secretariat. Mr. Secretary-General, as we enter into the final stretch of UN 80, The guidance you provide are more necessary than ever to provide guidance to member states. We will be supporting you. Thank you. English representative of France.

I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Russian Federation.

We thank the Secretary-General and the President of the General Assembly for the report and for the briefing. We continue to support the goal of improving the effectiveness of the organization, but we underscore that all measures need to be implemented with full observance of the intergovernmental nature of the UN and the relevant procedures. We have seen a number of things being laid at the feet of member states in the report, and that is entirely fair given that the UN is us and we are responsible for the UN. However, that does not remove the question of what the role of the Secretariat in the subsequent the UN will be. In that regard, we would like to get additional clarifications about the future. We have already seen the Secretary-General's declared vision of which thematic— which work packages already definitely require member states' decisions and which ones don't. And we do not entirely agree with that division. We would like to ask for clarifications as to whether in subsequent intergovernmental discussions there is— are plans to discuss work package number 2, the new humanitarian compact, number 9 on the human rights group, number 14 on the unified services roadmap, number 15 on technology, number 16, the UN system data commons, number 27, the environment, or number 28. All of these work packages one way or another involve changes to mandates and decisions that already exist. In particular, the creation of the human rights group would involve expanding that pillar. Or, for example, the proposal to reduce fragmentation in the implementation of development mandates that would have an impact on the development pillar. The common platforms also will have an impact on the procurement system. And now we can see that in large part the system is being done based on the RFP system that does not lead to savings. And most of all, we regret the fact that we've not seen any proposals to change geographical representation within the workforce, particularly at the senior levels. Whatever reforms we may undertake, they will be implemented by people, by staff members, and that's important to keep in mind. We would be grateful for comments about the future course of the reforms in response to our questions. Thank you very much for your attention.

I thank the distinguished representative of the Russian Federation. I now give the floor to Namibia, followed by Cuba and Italy.

Thank you, Madam President. We thank the Secretary-General for the comprehensive report. The Pact for the Future, co-facilitated by Namibia and Germany, gave us a vision to make our organization fit for purpose and agile and to build a better world for current and future generations, underpinned by the principles of multilateralism and international cooperation, with full respect to the United Nations Charter and the UNITE initiative process, is the vehicle through which this reform should be carried out. Namibia welcomes the concrete measures to streamline operations and stress that efficiency must not come at the expense of mandates that serve developing countries. As we continue with the reform initiatives, we must ensure that women's involvement in peace processes through the WPS agenda must be mainstreamed with a view to delivering on the peace and security pillar. Equally so, the work of the C24 Committee must be supported with increased funding to support evaluation missions to non-self-governing territories in the Caribbean, Pacific, and Western Sahara. This decolonization and the promotion of the right to self-determination are core objectives of the United Nations, and in times of reform, those in the most vulnerable situations must not be left behind. Countries at the receiving end of unilateral coercive measures In particular, Cuba and Zimbabwe should continue to receive the requested support to ensure that they do not fall back in the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. We support a systemic review of mandates to ensure they remain fit for purpose, coherent, and implementable, and in this regard, Namibia supports the ongoing member-state-driven process. Finally, in considering staff reductions and relocations, equitable geographic representation between regions must be a guiding principle. There must be adherence to the principle of balance between male and female staff in considering staff reduction and relocation. Elimination or reduction of posts should not unduly fall on junior posts. Our full statement will be delivered through eStatement. I thank you, Madam President.

I thank the distinguished representative of Namibia also for underlining again that longer statements will be published on eStatement. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Cuba.

Gracias, señora presidenta. Thank you, Madam President, Excellencies, Mr. Secretary-General. Madam Deputy Secretary General, Madam President, we are grateful for the presentation of the progress report on the UNAT Initiative. We align ourselves with the statement by Uruguay on behalf of the G77 and China. Cuba believes it is positive that the report recognizes that the reform should not be changed for change's sake and that the process needs to continue to be led by member states. We agree with the need to achieve efficiency, reduce duplication, and to strengthen coordination within the United Nations system, particularly in administration. We also value the efforts aimed at improving the traceability of mandates and strengthening coherence between resources and results. Tools such as the digital mandate registry and the use of common platforms can help contribute to a better use of resources provided that they are implemented while fully respecting intergovernmental mandates. That notwithstanding, we believe it is important to have— to avoid uniform or excessively standardized approaches to the format of the reports that are requested of the Secretary-General. The nature, political sensitivity, and complexity of each subject are different, and they should be taken into account. The substance of the issue should determine the scope, the depth and the length of each report rather than a strictly quantitative or editorial logic that aims solely to reduce volume or cost. At the same time, we believe that various proposals require a more in-depth analysis by member states. That includes the possible mergers and consolidations of entities, changes to the regional and national architecture of the system, and changes to peacekeeping operations and the proposed humanitarian arrangements. These proposals should be rooted in objective technical evaluations, cost-benefit analyses, and broad and transparent consultations. We are worried that some of the proposed measures may in practice lead to a reduction in operational and technical capacities, particularly in areas such as development. The reform should not exclusively respond to short-term financial restrictions, nor should it become a budget-cutting exercise. It should preserve the capacity of the United Nations to implement agreed mandates that are agreed by member states, particularly to support developing countries. Cuba will continue to participate constructively in deliberations on UN 80 with the aim of contributing to United Nations system that is more efficient, transparent, and effective without impacting the intergovernmental nature of the organization nor the balance between its three pillars. Thank you very much.

I thank the distinguished representative of Cuba. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Italy, followed by India and China.

Madam President, I wish to thank you for today's meeting. I wish to thank the Secretary-General for the progress report and all the UN team for the incredible effort that has been made on the UNHCR initiative. We align ourselves with the statement of the European Union and wish to offer some remarks in our national capacity. Italy fully supports the UNAID Initiative and its objective of enhancing system-wide efficiency to deliver greater impact on the ground. The report presented today is a further step in the right direction. We support the Secretary-General's call for stronger engagement in implementing the UNAID Initiative. We also look forward to receiving data and transition planning necessary to an informed decision-making. In this regard, we appreciate the distinction between issues ready for decision and those requiring further consultation. A clearer pathway is essential as we share the responsibility of advancing in this process. Madam President, while there is still work to be done, We value the progress achieved so far. On Workstream 1, Italy supports targeted savings in the UN budget when justified by evidence and aimed at eliminating unnecessary expenditure. At the same time, we oppose cuts that undermine the capacity of UN structures and peacekeeping missions to effectively implement their mandates. Moreover, we deem essential that the International Civil Service Commission be appropriately involved in the UN Haiti streamlining effort. On Workstream 2, the adoption of the Resolution on Mandates represented a key achievement, and we hope that all Member States and the UN bodies, not only the General Assembly, will implement its operational provisions. Within the relevant Working Group, Italy continues to contribute to identifying solutions to duplications and inefficiency, with the Secretariat's support. As for Workstream 3, while we are not opposed in principle to merger proposals, such initiatives must be evidence-based, clearly demonstrate their added value, and be implemented without undue haste. We would oppose mergers, particularly within the training and research pillar, that fail to that threaten or that risk diminishing existing centres of excellence that are financially sound and operating effectively. Italy remains committed to advancing the UN80 Initiative and you can count on our support. I thank you, Madam President.

I thank the distinguished representative of Italy. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of India.

Thank you, Madam President. India aligns with the statement delivered by Uruguay on behalf of G77. We express our appreciation to Secretary-General for his briefing on the UN@80 initiative and for presenting a well-drafted second progress report. India would like to offer the following reflections. We acknowledge significant progress under Workstream 1 and 2. For Workstream 1, we encourage the continuation of ongoing efforts, including the expansion of common administrative platforms, Regarding staff relocation, we would like to see staff relocated to lower-cost locations, preferably duty stations closer to beneficiary countries in the Global South. This will ensure effective and efficient coordination with member states and produce greater impact. On Workstream 2, we welcome the adoption of General Assembly Resolution 80/251 on mandate creation, implementation, and review. We reaffirm our support for the co-chairs of the ad hoc working group in advancing this agenda item. Including the development of criteria and modalities to assess whether mandates are achieving their intended results. While the progress in Workstream 1 and 2 is encouraging, the proposals in Workstream 3, particularly those related to the development pillar, require careful examination grounded in adequate data and analysis and based on thorough assessment. Further, any potential merger proposal should clearly establish how the merger will strengthen the UN's capacity to support member states particularly in meeting their development needs and priorities. The question of UN systems' activities on the environment is important. The established mandate of UNCCC must be fully respected in this regard. We look forward to the UNSG's information brief on the matter. Finally, decisions on proposals affecting the development pillar, such as potential mergers or the reconfiguration of regional and country-level architecture, should not be rushed. Member states should be provided with adequate information, including cost-benefit analysis, to make informed decisions. In this regard, we look forward to receiving SG's reports and briefs on various proposals under UN@80. In conclusion, Madam President, India reaffirms its commitment to continue its constructive engagement on the UN@80 initiative. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of India. I now give the floor to the distinguished The representative of China, followed by Morocco and Germany.

President, I thank you for convening today's meeting and thank Secretary-General Guterres for his briefing. China aligns with the statement of Uruguay on behalf of G77 and China. China supports revitalizing the effectiveness of the UN system through reform to better adapt to the evolving times Thanks to the joint efforts of the SG, the Secretariat, and the broad membership, the UNAID Initiative has made important headways. At present, reform has entered a critical stage. We look forward to all parties maintaining resolve, staying united, persevering over the long term, and ensuring that the reform continues to be implemented and yields results. The more complex and turbulent the international situation becomes, the more important it is to to uphold the centrality of the UN and enhance the authority and role of the UN, which has been the original intent and starting point of the reform. As this GIST report reaffirms, the goal of the reform is to strengthen the UN, and the UN Charter remains foundation of the reform. Any reform measures must strictly adhere to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, promote in a balanced manner the three pillars of peace, security, sustainable development, and human rights, and serve the common interests of member states. UNATI is led by member states and its outcomes are shaped by member states. The success of the reform hinges on whether it can deliver more tangible and accessible benefits to member states. Any mandate reforms and restructuring must adhere to the principle of state ownership and state leadership and address the demands and concerns of member states, especially developing countries. The reform process should remain transparent, And the Secretariat should continue to provide comprehensive information and a cost-benefit analysis to help member states make prudent decisions based on in-depth research and extensive consultations. China supports the Secretariat in promoting a culture of efficiency, strengthening budget discipline, enhancing the integration of internal resources and services within the UN, and improving the quality and effectiveness across the system. China supports member states in advancing mandate implementation reviews, improving the effectiveness of mandate delivery, and reducing duplication, bureaucracy, and formalism. Reform must forge consensus, respect the diversity of mandates and authority of various bodies, avoid a one-size-fits-all approach or duplication, and avoid undermining the development pillar. China is ready in a constructive manner to continue to work with all parties to advance the reform in the direction that is conducive to enhancing the UN, more conducive to adhering to multilateralism and serving the member states, and continuously achieve positive outcome. I thank you, President.

I thank the distinguished representative of China. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Morocco.

Madam President, Mr. Secretary-General, all protocols observed. At the outset, allow me to convey Ambassador Mr. Hilla's appreciation for convening this meeting, who was unable to join us today due to his engagement in a mission abroad in Nicaragua for C24 mission. My delegation would like to express its appreciation for the publication of the latest progress report and for your continued efforts in the implementation of the UNAID initiatives. Mr. Secretary-General, as you have underlined in the report, multilateralism has been —confronted with unprecedented combination of adversities, giving rise to growing questions about the value and the utility of the multilateral system. In this context, Morocco firmly believes that the UN80 Initiative represents the genuine paradigm shift that the moment demands in how the United Nations organizes its work and collaborates for greater impact. Mr. Secretary-General, we welcome the progress report and which offers a comprehensive picture of the reforms already undertaken and those yet to come. We take note of the progress recorded across the three work streams, and in particular the 9% reduction in 2026 budget and the 20% reduction in staff position. We emphasize that any post-reduction shouldn't undermine the equitable geographic representation. Regarding the proposed mergers of a number of United Nations entities, we wish to underscore that any structural reform must preserve existing mandates and their impact on the ground and be guided by concrete, clearly defined, and measurable objectives in full respect of applicable rules and procedures. As the UNAD enters its decisive phase, my delegation shares the— the view that the months ahead will be determining for the overall success of this initiative. We support your call on member states to use Resolution 80/251 as a strategic governance tool and reaffirm that UNAID must remain at every stage a member state-driven process. In conclusion, we welcome your recognition that the diversity of national contexts makes a one-size-fits-all approach inadequate and that this reform is not change for the sake of change, but a deliberate and strategic effort to build a stronger, more coherent, and more impactful United Nations by us and for us. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Morocco. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Germany, followed by Sierra Leone and Switzerland.

Thank you, Madam President, Mr. Secretary General. Germany fully aligns itself with the statement by the European Union. First of all, Secretary General, let me commend you for your leadership and to your team, of course, as well, and express appreciation for all the work that has already been done for the UN Haiti Initiative. Your report and the presentation show how much progress we have already made towards a less fragmented, more efficient, and above all, a more effective and impactful UN. So the very detailed points that you made, that managerial decisions, they make a difference, they're important, and strengthening the UN's ability to deliver stronger and better on the mandate should be our, and continue to be, our guiding principle. Colleagues have mentioned, for example, my colleague from Romania, that this is a a good mirror and that there are critical points as well, and we have to look into that. But I want to underline the considerable progress, including for the budget 2026, the strong commitment of member states with a new approach to mandate creation and implementation and review. And in both examples, comprehensive and transparent proposals and information provided by the Secretariat have accompanied us as member states in the decision-making. That is indeed how we should we continue to work, because this transparent exchange really makes the difference. And member states have to take their decisions on the basis of facts and clear technical assessments. And where there is still need for more analysis and transparency regarding next steps— and this is true for work stream 3— we look forward to receiving this information, because we need to make progress there as well, on work stream 3, that is. In all the 31 work packages, including— and I will only name a few— QCPR, peacekeeping review, and the country team reconfiguration. And many have emphasized that. That is important to us as well. Many— for example, the PIF statement was very specific on the things that are needed on the ground. So in the report, you rightly point out that UNAT will only reach its full system-wide potential if member states and the UN with all its entities work together in a coherent manner, and I would like to underline that call to ourselves, that everybody should be fully committed to a cooperative approach that aims at improving the UN system as a whole instead of defending entrenched interests, vested interests, that of course always exist. And I also want to underline the call that others have made, including you, Secretary-General, that Member States must meet their financial obligations. We need to take bold decisions, but at the same time we need to ensure that the Member Stateship stays united and together. Only if everybody is on board we will succeed in this very important endeavour. Thank you very much.

I thank the distinguished representative of Germany. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Sierra Leone.

Thank you, Madam President. Madam President, Mr. Secretary-General, Madam Deputy Secretary-General, Selim thanks the Secretary-General for his comprehensive briefing and for his continued leadership on UNAT. We affirm our full support for the UNAT initiative and commend the progress recorded across all three work streams. We particularly welcome the deepened focus on delivery arrangements that will ultimately determine whether this reform effort translates into tangible impact for the people and countries for which the United Nations exists to serve. As the progress report itself acknowledges, we have now entered the decisive phase of decision-making, particularly for Member States. At this critical juncture, Sir Elian recalls the guiding principles of UN80, including strengthening the system capacity to support countries and maximizing concrete impact in those countries. Those principles must remain the compass as we navigate the difficult decisions ahead. With that in mind, we wish to make the following 4 observations. First, on process: inclusive— inclusivity and transparency must be maintained throughout decision-making. UNAT, particularly on Workstream 3, including proposed mergers and structural changes, must remain anchored in the General Assembly, where all Member States represented as a governance imperative. Focus here must be on delivery, as you have said, Mr. Secretary-General. Second, preserving core coordination capacities in developing countries is essential. Any reconfiguration of country-level arrangements must protect the functions that sustain reform gains, not dismantle the very infrastructure through which those gains can and are to be delivered. Third, On the recent Coordinator System, adequate, predictable, and sustainable funding will be critical to continue to meet expectations for country-level delivery. We thank you for your call on Member States on resourcing the IRC System. We also appreciate ongoing efforts towards the further nationalization of positions in the IRC offices. Fourthly, country configurations must be generally tailored to national needs and priorities. And regional arrangements, particularly those serving African countries, must complement and strengthen, not substitute for, meaningful country-level presence and support. We underscore the importance of addressing the unfinished business of the reform agenda. ECOSOC operational activity segment provides a key platform for strategic guidance and we encourage its full use. The UNAT was built and the UN was built on the promise of collective action for a better world. UN80 is an opportunity to honor that promise more faithfully, and I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Sierra Leone. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Switzerland, followed by Croatia and the Republic of Korea.

Madame la Présidente. Madame President, Mr. Secretary-General, Excellencies, dear colleagues. We thank you for presenting the report and for today's briefing. Switzerland reiterates its full commitment to the reform processes and underscores the central role of member states in providing political guidance for the process. We would like to highlight 3 points. First, we commend the United Nations' commitment to concrete measures aimed at strengthening its ability to deliver tangible results. That, for example, includes the extension of shared services or common administrative platforms. This represents an important step towards system-wide effectiveness— efficiency and ultimately could free up resources for program activities. We welcome the decision to deploy additional platforms later this year, and we are confident when it comes to the alignment of these efforts with efficiency initiatives developed in the context of the High-Level Committee on Management. Switzerland stands ready to support these initiatives, including in its capacity as a host state. Second, we welcome measures taken to strengthen the United Nations' ability to respond and to produce results as one UN on the ground, including the reconfiguration of country teams under the strengthened leadership of resident coordinators. We very much encourage the United Nations to persevere in these efforts. Third, sustainable reform requires a robust financial basis. The current liquidity crisis risks depriving the organization of these foundations and risks undermining the very efforts that we are here to promote. Switzerland has paid its mandatory contributions in full and on time and invites all member states that have not yet done so to fulfill their financial obligations. We also invite all delegations to actively engage in the discussions currently underway on adapting the financial rules and regulations, including when it comes to the question of the return of credits, which Switzerland is the coordinator for. UN-ATTA and the adjustment of financial modalities are essential in order to ensure the effectiveness and the continued relevance of the United Nations and the implementation of mandates that benefit populations on the ground. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Switzerland. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Croatia.

Thank you, Madam President, and thank you for organizing this meeting. And we also thank the Secretary-General for his briefing and the progress report. Shared in advance. Croatia aligns itself with the statement delivered by the European Union, and I would like to add some remarks in my national capacity as well. We have supported the UN aid reform from the very beginning, and we believe it is a shared endeavor and responsibility between member states and the UN system to modernize the UN for greater impact and coherence, and to make it fit for purpose in a rapidly changing global environment. We commend the clear advances the report outlines. It shows that the UN Development System is becoming more coherent, more data-driven, more integrated digital backbone, and better aligned with country needs. At the same time, the report also highlights uneven progress. Reform is advancing in some areas but lagging in others. Structural reform proposals face political sensitivities vested interests and bureaucratic inertia. Horizontal accountability remains inconsistent. Financing is still fragmented. And data systems are not yet interoperable. And the gap between ambition and delivery persists, especially in fragile and climate-vulnerable contexts. To accelerate implementation, we see several priorities. First, the The Secretary-General and the UN system should focus on operational consistency. This means clearer system-wide standards, stronger follow-through on management and accountability framework commitments, and faster rollout of integrated data platforms. The system must also deepen collaboration across peace, development, and humanitarian pillars, as the report rightly stresses. Second, predictable and flexible financing remains essential. The UN system should improve transparency on how resources support collective outcomes. This will help align incentives with the integrated delivery model envisioned in the UN 80. Member States also have responsibilities. We must provide the political backing needed to sustain reform. This is especially important as geopolitical tensions drag on cooperation, financing, decision velocity. We must also reduce earmarking and increase contributions to core and pooled funds. And we must engage more consistently across governing bodies to ensure coherent oversight. Reform cannot succeed if expectations rise while mandates and resources remain unchanged. Croatia remains committed to supporting the UNAID reform and you can count on our full cooperation. I thank you, Madam Secretary-General. Madam President.

I thank the distinguished representative of Croatia. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Republic of Korea, followed by the United Republic of Tanzania and Montenegro.

Thank you, Madam President. I also thank the Secretary-General for preparing the progress report. Your calls to member states are well noted. My delegation would like to highlight 3 points at this stage. First, this is a time to bring our work to a successful close while the momentum of the reform continues to be sustained. In this regard, early harvest should be delivered without delay, while certain structural changes should not be rushed and should be calibrated based on their merits. Second, my delegation supports the Secretary General's initiative to develop system-wide shared services and critical common enablers, notably technology and data. We expect the Unified Service Roadmap, the Technology Accelerator Platform, and the Data Commons to contribute to more efficient and effective delivery —across the system. On aspects that require member states' oversight, including cost-benefit analysis, cybersecurity, the use of artificial intelligence and data qualities, as well as the location of common back offices, we look forward to receiving more information and regular updates from the Secretary-General. General. Third, member states share the responsibility to take UN reform further. It is important to exercise self-discipline and to actively participate in approving the management of the mandate life cycle under the milestone Resolution 80/251. In the same spirit, ensuring state System-wide coherence also belongs to whole membership. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of the Republic of Korea. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the United Republic of Tanzania.

Associate itself with a statement made by Group 77 China, and welcome the progress report presented by the Secretary-General as a timely and strategic opportunity to renew the United Nations system so that it becomes more responsive, more equitable, and more aligned with the development aspirations of member states. Tanzania underscores that reform must be member-state driven, rooted in the UN Charter, and focused on strengthening the organization capacity to deliver meaningful results on the ground. For Tanzania, UNHCR initiative must reinforce the the centrality of sustainable development, peace, and resilience, particularly for countries transitioning from this developing country status, facing debt vulnerabilities, or confronting the impact of climate change. Tanzania emphasized that UN-HCR process should strengthen development-security nexus, ensuring that peacebuilding, humanitarian action, and development cooperation are integrated and mutually reinforcing. We also called for a more effective and accountable ECOSOC. Looking ahead, Tanzania proposed three key directions. First, the UNHCT initiative should prioritize financing for development, including predictable resources and strengthened support for countries graduating from LDC status. Second, it should enhance UN country-level delivery, ensuring that resident coordinators and UN country teams are empowered to respond to national priorities with coherence, agility, and accountability. Third, mandate review should not be reduced to a cost-cutting exercise, rather focus equally on what UN needs to deliver to its most needy members in developing world in the coming decades. Tanzania stands ready to work with all member states to ensure that the UN ATIB initiative becomes a turning point that renews trust, strengthens multilateralism, and equips the United Nations to serve present and future generations with greater effectiveness fairness and impact. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of the United Republic of Tanzania. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Montenegro, followed by Cameroon and the United States.

Thank you, Madam President. We thank the Secretary-General for his briefing and the progress report. The report maps the operational and financial challenges we face and provides a realistic overview of the financial demonstrates readiness to implement internal transformation and suggests certain significant structural changes. Montenegro welcomes the efforts already undertaken within the UN Haiti Initiative, including measures aimed at improving coherence, reducing duplications, especially on mandates, and strengthening accountability across the UN system. We appreciate the emphasis on transparency, mandate discipline, discipline and better alignment between resources and impact. At the same time, we believe that discussions on possible mergers and structural changes require a cautious, transparent, and evidence-based approach. Any reform involving entities with distinct mandates should be preceded by detailed analysis of risk, operational implications, and impact on mandate delivery. For Montenegro, the objective should not be structural change for its own sake, but a stronger and more coherent UN that continues to effectively support the most vulnerable and deliver tangible results on the ground. In this context, reconfiguration of the regional and country presence can strengthen coherence, and reinforcing the Resident Coordinating System can improve coordination on country level. Madam President, the report serves as a technical foundation for future steps and a testament to the immense effort invested over the past year. However, the final outcome of this transformation does not depend solely on the Secretariat, but on us, the Member States. It is our shared responsibility to manage these changes wisely, to insist on safeguarding the core mandates and to ensure stable resources so that the reformed UN becomes truly stronger, not just downsized. Montenegro will remain a reliable and constructive partner throughout this process. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Montenegro. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Cameroon.

Merci. Thank you, Madam President. At the outset, I would like to endorse the opinion expressed at the start of this meeting by Uruguay, a statement delivered on behalf of the G77. I commend the Secretary-General on two counts. First, I commend the unswerving way in which you've been consulting consistently consulting with member states. The Secretary-General has always said that it is my duty to consult, it is my duty to listen. And he has stood firm and continued doing that, and I'm grateful for that. I also want to thank him because throughout this initiative he has conveyed the message that this body, which was established in 1945, must remain young. The United Nations must always live up to the hopes pinned on it. So from the point of view of this exercise, there are 3 phases. The first phase has been completed. The second phase resulted in Resolution 80/251, and we're now in the third phase of the form. In any event, throughout the three phases, what matters is, first and foremost, the vision. The Secretary-General must chart the course, and this vision is underpinned by robust multilateralism rooted in the ideals, the principles and purposes enshrined in the Charter. Second, the strategic orientations. The Secretary-General must once again keep and state the course. He knows that there are a number of mandates— the Future We Want, the Pact for the Future, coordinated migration, the Paris Climate Agreement. These are important mandates. As regards implementation, there are implementation and review or oversight mechanisms, and the Secretary-General must also keep those front of mind, constantly ensuring that implementation happens. And to that end, technology and funding are absolutely key. As regards funding, we've already discussed the liquidity crisis, but there are more— there is a more serious crisis, that is the budgetary crisis, that is a resource shortage. And all of the resources that have been that have been paid. Well, there are assessed contributions, there are voluntary resources, and there's an imbalance. Third, the Secretary-General must tread very cautiously given that the mechanisms that have been crafted were very complex.

Unfortunately, this speaker's microphone has been cut off. I thank the distinguished representative of Cameroon. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the United the United States, followed by Nigeria, the United Kingdom, and Singapore. This is so far the speakers' list. If anybody else wishes to take the floor, please press the microphone button now. Afterwards, we close the speakers' list. Distinguished Representative of the United States, please.

Good afternoon, Madam President, and thank you. And Mr. Secretary-General, thank you for your briefing and the progress report on the UNADY initiative. We agree that the status quo is untenable. The United States— the United Nations faces a moment that demands serious reform to bolster its credibility, effectiveness, and impact. We also agree that the UN has acquired considerable institutional complexity. And as I read that sentence, that's diplomatic polite speak if I've ever seen 3 words say that. I think that just means bloat. But over decades of layered mandates, overlapping structures, and fragmented governance, Some of that duplication can and should be addressed by getting back to basics. First and foremost, that means prioritizing the UN's founding purpose: preventing and ending war. But back to basics also means refocusing entities on their core mandates, eliminating overlap in programming, and reducing competition for scarce resources. The United States therefore supports opportunities to reduce fragmentation both substantive and operational. There is one reason we champion efforts under Workstream I to simplify and consolidate administrative services and to deliver historic reductions to the UN's budget and staff, driving greater efficiency and prioritization. We look forward to further proposals in this regard, including the elimination of duplicative senior staff positions. We have likewise supported efforts at stronger mandate discipline. We stress the essential role of the Secretariat in helping Member States to streamline, and where appropriate, merge and retire duplicative or outdated mandates, meetings, and reports, not just in the General Assembly and its subsidiary bodies, but across different intergovernmental processes. The SG's report itself notes that more than 27,000 intergovernmental meetings were organized and over 2,000 secretariat reports produced in 2024 alone. We must ask whether every single one remains necessary or whether resources could be better directed towards operational impact. I mean, we can ask, but I think we know the answer to those questions. The UN's comparative advantage lies both in setting global norms and standards and in deploying tailored solutions to specific problems by drawing on expertise across the system. We have long called for recalibration of the RC system away from a one-size-fits-all model and toward a development system that meets countries where they are and responds to their specific needs. We strongly support the push for shared services, technology, and data to reduce duplication and improve delivery, and look forward to reform initiatives and conversations that go beyond the mergers. Reform is difficult. It requires prioritizing, refocusing, shifting organizational culture, challenging vested interests and establishing ways of working, making painful choices, trade-offs, and compromises, We believe this can be done and we are all in with all of you to make this happen.

I thank the distinguished representative of the United States. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Nigeria.

President, Secretary-General, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, I stand on assisting protocol. Let me congratulate the Secretary-General for— and a credible report, which I would rather title "Reform with the Face of Humanity." I think it's quite detailed, and for us in Nigeria, it's a welcome development. Nigeria reiterates its commitment to the United Nations Charter and the Preamble, particularly Article 2 and Article 2. Of the UN Charter. And this— there is the need with respect to those two articles for the increased sustainable sovereignty, and we call on member states to respect and give full meaning to those articles. We also want to reiterate that a reform of this nature requires legitimacy and support of all. This can only be very possible, Madam President, if the ever-yearning demand of Africa for a permanent seat in the Security Council of the United Nations is put to bear. Lastly, we believe that there is need for increasing stewardship account of global governance, and the United Nations cannot be an exception to stewardship demand for sustainable efforts in all reforms and in all ramifications. We believe that this is very important and it's better than the transactional cost of the agency theory in global governance. On behalf of Mr. President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the good people of Nigeria, We do wish you, Mr. Secretary-General, successful implementation of this impactful reform that we think will set a new trajectory for peace and security, reducing the geopolitical tension. Good afternoon. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Nigeria. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Singapore, followed by of the United Kingdom as the last speaker.

Thank you very much, Madam President. Let me begin by thanking the Secretary-General and his leadership team for this very important progress report. I have three quick points. First, the UN Haiti Initiative has demonstrated clearly that the UN system is capable of change and reform especially when Member States work together and build convergence. For many small States, the UN ATI process is fundamentally about making multilateralism more effective and more responsive to the people. In this regard, we believe that regular progress reports like this one are important as it helps us to maintain momentum and make further progress. Second, we commend the progress on the Joint Knowledge Hubs, and the UN Data Commons, for example. We have heard from interventions today on the need for data and evidence-based approaches to the UN's delivery. We believe these initiatives will help us to do exactly that. As we undertake the three pilots of the Joint Knowledge Hubs, I also encourage the Secretariat to consider how AI and other digital technologies can better enhance the consolidation of our work expertise, improve access to this expertise, and ensure closer alignment with country and regional priorities. We look forward to updates on the progress of the three pilot programmes. Thirdly, and finally, it is clear that all Member States, together with the Secretariat and the wider UN system, have the shared responsibility to make further progress on UN UNAAT. Of course, ultimately, Member States have to take responsibility for making decisions and ensuring final delivery of the UNAAT. In this regard, the 6 areas identified under the section called to Member States in this progress report is very, very helpful. Singapore stands ready to work with all Member States in a very pragmatic manner to ensure that the UNAAT process delivers for all our people. Thank you very much.

I thank the distinguished representative of Singapore. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the United Kingdom.

Thank you, President, and thank you for the UNAT report and this briefing, Secretary-General. The United Kingdom remains firmly supportive of your UNAT initiative. We continue to encourage ambition in this critical opportunity to refocus the UN on its core priorities: peace and security, delivering humanitarian and development assistance, and protecting human rights. As you have noted, Secretary-General, UN80 has already made progress. December's agreement on the UN regular budget was a clear signal of Member State appetite for the spirit of UN80. But that was just the beginning. We will need to exercise further discipline in the years ahead, including by modernizing the UN's pay and benefits package so that it is better benchmarked with global employers. We also agree with the Secretary-General's call to enhance UN-wide shared services, including technology and data, ensuring resources are focused on delivery versus administrative tasks. The Secretary-General enjoys the UK's strong support in using powers under his authority to strategically streamline the Secretariat. We also welcome the adoption of Resolution 82251 on mandates. We share the SG's vision that we should use this as a strategic governance tool along the chain of activity from mandate creation to review. And finally, the United Kingdom strongly endorses the Secretary-General's focus on reconfiguring country and regional teams, while underscoring the importance of Resident Coordinators. We want to see a UN Development System with one plan, one leader. UN80 should give the Resident Coordinator clear authority over UN development activities in-country to work across the humanitarian, development, and peace nexus. Secretary-General, you have our full support in using your authority to make these reforms a reality. We also want to ensure that heightened attention on proposed structural mergers does not detract or impede the delivery of these other work packages. At the start of the UNHCR Initiative, Secretary-General, we urged you to be bold in your thinking and to offer us ambitious proposals. Driving reform on this scale is not an easy task, and we commend you and your team for your leadership across this expansive agenda. It is now incumbent on us all, as Member States, the Secretariat, and the wider UN system, to deliver on the spirit of UN 80 at this decisive juncture. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of the United Kingdom as the last speaker. I thank all Member States for your valuable contributions. I now give the floor to the Secretary-General, His Excellency Antonio Guterres.

Thank you very much, Madam President, and I'd like to express my deep gratitude and appreciation for what was an excellent debate and a debate that was extremely useful for me, taking into account all the observations that were made by all member states and the proposals that were put on the table. I would start by picking the intervention, the last intervention of the distinguished Permanent Representative of the UK. You reminded us that in the previous meeting there was a very strong call by many members in this room to ask me to be bold. I would like to say that in the meeting today I heard more members of this Assembly asking me to be careful. And I will be careful. But I will ask you, please, to make sure that being careful you do not eliminate the possibility to remain bold. Because, to be honest, the most careful thing I can do is to do nothing. And this would be, of course, the worst possible results. So I promise to be careful. I ask you please to allow me to be bold. Now, it is very important to understand that this reform is not something to shrink the UN and its capacities because of financial constraints. This is not to weaken the UN, this is to strengthen the UN. But to strengthen it, making it more effective and more cost-effective. And the measure of the success will have to be through delivery and impact. And what we want is to improve delivery and to improve impact, reducing unnecessary costs in the work of the organization. I listened very carefully to the interventions of developing countries and in particular to the interventions of small island states or Guyana that, not being an island, represents many islands in the Caribbean. And I have to say that if you read the report we presented to the ECOSOC in relation to the QCPR, you will see that there is a very strong commitment to reorganize our work at country team to make it much more effective in relation to the development needs of the countries, and there is a particular concern with the situations in which we have multi-country offices, and the Deputy Secretary-General is precisely at this meeting and she'll be visiting some of the islands. In order to make sure that we organize things in a way in which small island development states and other vulnerable countries of this nature see a meaningful improvement in the way we deliver for them. Now, I would also like to say that I fully respect and I take into account the observations by the distinguished Prime Minister of Russia I fully respect, and we will fully respect, the prerogatives and the rights of member states and the different intergovernmental bodies of the UN—the General Assembly, first of all, but also others that are—ECOSOC, I just mentioned—others that are related to the different agencies. We will fully respect their prerogatives, and namely that in a very large number of the aspects of the UNHCR, the decision belongs to member states in any of the formulas that I mentioned. At same time, I have a number of things that I can do based on my own competence, and I intend to do it, but I will keep the member states informed and I will listen to member states' comments, proposals, in order to make sure that even when I act with my own competence, I take into account the concerns of member states. And I'm ready— several areas were mentioned— I'm ready to look into them with care. And one that is for me essential is to improve geographical diversity within the organization. Now, I think it is clear that we have three work streams and the worst thing we can do is to create a situation in which we disorganize our work. And this is related to the question of mergers and the question of mandates. Mandates are to be dealt in Workstream 2, not in Workstream 3. In Workstream 3, when we propose a merger, it is a merger of two organizations with all the mandates that they have. If member states want to change mandates, they have Workstream 2 to do it. But it is clear for me and I would never make a proposal of a merger that would undermine the capacities that the two organizations have. And I think there should be a consensus among us that when we deal with mergers, we don't deal with the mandates, because the mandates of the organizations that are merged belong to the organization that is the result of that merger. And if Member States want to discuss mandates or to deal with mandates, there is a work stream for that purpose and we should not start mixing things because if we start mixing things then our work becomes impossible. And on the other hand, in anything related to mergers, it is clear that we do not want any decision that is not evidence-based. and that is not to improve the efficiency and the capacity of the organization. And we will be, of course, working hard to make sure that we are able to provide those elements. But I think we need to be frank. When I was Prime Minister, we did several mergers of services and of ministries. And I've never done one merger in which, especially the mid-management of the organizations, was not clearly against. And it is obvious, because when we merger two organizations, the number of management positions will necessarily diminish. But that, of course, does not impede those that feel that their jobs are at stake to do everything to protect them and to lobby, in the case— in my case, to lobby the members of Parliament in order to make sure that the measures were not taken. And I imagine that similar things might be happening in the United Nations. Because we are all people. So what I ask you, please, is to be coherent. You are asking me to reduce— and I agree with that reduction— the number of top managers and high-mid managers in this organization. Please do not act with the objective of protecting exactly those positions that would inevitably be necessarily reduced if we are able to successfully conduct mergers and other structural measures. On the other hand, I would like to say, because there was a specific merger mentioned in relation to Italy, that The merger will take profit of the extraordinary potential of Turin to increase our activities in Turin, not to decrease our activities in Turin. And I strongly appeal for the Italian support to this merger, as I appeal naturally to the commitment of all member states to— based on evidence, and there might be a situation in which the evidence shows, because what we are doing is assessments, that the merger is not the right solution. And if that is the case, I think we will have to accept that reality. So the mergers are not a kind of a fetish that— no, It is an instrument that is only used when it improves the organization. That is our perspective. On the other hand, I would like to express my deep gratitude for the excellent work that was done by Member States, in particular in Workstream 2. I think the decisions that were taken in Workstream UN Stream II represent a landmark decision in the life of the UN and an inspiration for us all to make UN80 a success. Thank you very much.

I thank the Secretary-General for his very important, careful and bold considerations and also a summary of our current debate. I would like to take the opportunity also to thank the whole team, the DSG, the USG, and people sitting behind the SG for the report, but also for all the incredible work being put into the whole process. And to underline, if it's in the hands of the member states, then it also needs active participation by member states to move forward on workstream 3 in the different boards where many member states are being represented as well. And also continued engagement in Workstream 2, as we have taken the first step, and it has been mentioned here, about the 2,000 reports by the SGs. So the next SG team can only deliver if in Workstream 2 we look intensively not only at the mandates, but also at the amount of reports which have to be written in the future. Having said this, the informal meeting of the plenary is now concluded. Before adjourning, participants are advised that on the request of the SG's team, the next UNAD briefing has been rescheduled to Monday, 29th of June at 10 AM in the Trusteeship Council. The meeting is adjourned. I wish you all a good day. Thank you.