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

Good morning everybody. I call to order the informal meeting of the plenary on the UN 80 initiative. In its decision 79571 of September 2, 2025, the assembly requested the Informal Ad Hoc Working Group on the Mandate Implementation Review to provide the assembly with an update on progress made by December 15, 2025. I recognize the presence of both Co Chairs of the Informal Ad Hoc Working Group at this meeting today, which is, as I said, an update and a briefing meeting. At the beginning, I will make a statement.

As the President of the General Assembly, I would like to thank you for joining the briefing of the Informal Ad Hoc Working Group on the Mandate Implementation Review. It's not the first time, but this time in the General assembly hall underlining how important this briefing is for all of us. Allow me to begin by thanking the Co Chairs, Ambassador Brian Wallace and Ambassador Carolyn Schwalger, Permanent Representative of Jamaica and Permanent Representative of of New Zealand, for their hard and very team leading work. Feedback from the membership has been encouraging and we are grateful for the time and effort that you have gotten into this process. I also wish to commend you the membership of this assembly because to be very frank and open, I felt some reluctance at the beginning of this session with regard to the reform process as such.

With each passing day, however, of this 80th session and especially of this Discovery phase of the Mandate Implementation Review and indeed throughout the UN Ad Initiative process, also by the Secretariat. And I'm thankful that Guy Ryder has joined us today as well. I have felt, and I think many of you have felt this way, a stronger commitment and and especially personal participation and engagement by membership, including from many of you dear Excellencies, and also including with a number of leaders at capital level. And this is exactly what we need at this stage and I would say also what we need in these times, which are not the most easy ones. It reflects the clear interest and momentum in our shared effort to deliver a United nations that is more effective, more efficient and more cost effective.

There's a willingness and even I would say an eagerness to meet this momentum to deliver on the three core principles of our institution which are deeply peace and security, sustainable development and human rights, and make them stronger even in the most technical process we are discussing here today. I thank each of you for stepping forward even when the discussions are complex and the decisions difficult. As we look ahead, it is essential that we maintain this momentum and this engagement. With the Discovery phase now complete and with the work towards a blueprint for collective effort advancing, we are entering the stage where the real work begins. The work of reform, the work of renovation and the work of compromise.

For the mandate implementation review, this next phase requires actions that are both clear and decisive. So I would like to ask you not to shy away when we start to become more concrete because we should not be next naive. The political and financial pressure remains high. If we are not reforming ourselves, we will be reformed by others. Probably not always with the intention of making this institution stronger or more effective.

That means changing things that have worked in the past or served us well over decades, but maybe not the most efficient ones anymore in the 21st century. Take for example the ever expanding number of agenda items. While this was a norm and may have worked in good times, today it may be counterproductive and if influentialized, inhibit the meaningful engagement of all states. The same can be said for how we record meetings while taking written verbal records. Especially on disarmament in the times, for example of the Cold War was heavily important.

Today we are living in a digitalized world, so we could just use the technologies which are available and we don't need pens and paper for that anymore. In this regard, I thank those of you who have contributed with very concrete proposals. Some might sound technical, but they are really efficient on how to improve the working method in the different committees as well as in the General Assembly. I invite you to keep up this spirit throughout the remainder of the process with ambition, with flexibility and with the spirit of compromise that meaningful reform requires. To help facilitate these deliberations, I have tasked the co chairs with ensuring that the zero draft of the resolution contains ambitious concrete proposals.

And I would like to encourage you to bring also everybody in your teams aboard yourself. It would be great your capitals. But I would like to also invite to have the exchange with your experts because we had also the situation that we are discussing some of the parts of the on a higher level. But when it comes down to the committees, maybe not everybody was aware of it. So, dear colleagues, you see that this is a very important topic also for the pga because the UNAD initiative can no longer exist as a menu of possibilities.

We cannot afford indecision, nor can we allow our ambitions to be diluted in the face of mounting political and financial pressure. This is about this institution. This is about the last 80 years and the next decades to come. So let us move ahead creatively, constructively, cooperatively and clear eyed about the task before us and the responsibilities entrusted to us to achieve something which we can be proud of. And this is probably more than just more paper and More words in resolution.

In this spirit, I thank you for the work of the last month and I indeed believe we are better together.

I now would like to invite the CO Chairs which are not only here with us today, but who are diving into the concrete proposals. I give the floor to the Co Chairs of the Informal Ad Hoc Working Group on the UNAD Initiative Partners Permanent Representative of New Zealand, Her Excellency Carolyn Schwalger to brief the Membership.

President earlier this year, the Secretary General launched the UN 80 initiative to strengthen the effectiveness and coherence of the United Nations. He did so in recognition of the growing political and fiscal challenges facing the Organisation even as it celebrates its 80th anniversary. The UN80 initiative encompasses a broad range of proposals to strengthen the UN's effectiveness, efficiency and impact. These include efficiency measures within the UN Secretariat, structural reforms and program realignments across the UN system, and measures to strengthen the implementation of UN mandates. To address the latter, the General assembly through decision 79571 establish the informal ad Hoc Working Group on the Mandate implementation review.

On 2nd of September this year, his Excellency Brian Wallace and I were honoured to be appointed Co Chairs to lead this process. Our mandate is to consider proposals contained in the Report of the Secretary General and to identify principles and follow up actions in order to improve the creation, delivery and review of mandates. Mandates remain at the heart of how the UN organises its operational, policy oriented and normative work. Ensuring the mandates are created, implemented and reviewed effectively is essential for strengthening the Organisation's impact. At this important moment for the Organisation and in this period of reflection and adjustment.

This Working Group must contribute in a meaningful way to supporting a long term effort to improve mandate practices to better reflect Member State priorities and operational realities and critically help deliver greater impact for those we serve. President from the outset we we as Co Chairs deliberately designed a process that is open, transparent and Member State driven. Mandates reflect decisions made by Member States. Any refinements to mandate practices should similarly be Member State led. Drawing lessons from the 2006 mandate review, we took a future focused system level approach rather than attempting to revisit individual mandates during the process.

The first stage of our work has been a discovery phase. Its purpose has been to listen, to gather perspectives and to develop a shared understanding of the key issues, options, challenges and opportunities before considering any outcome. During this period, the Co Chairs convened three technical briefings and three consultations structured around the three stages of the mandate life cycle, creation, implementation and review. The briefings provided delegations with deeper insights from the Secretariat, former and current leaders and experts from the UN system and permanent representatives in experienced in leading intergovernmental processes and initiatives. Their briefings focused on best practices, challenges and tools across the UN system.

Their briefings offered a foundation for reflection and further inquiry. The subsequent consultations provided an opportunity for delegations to explore issues in greater depth, receive clarifications and share perspectives informed by the briefings and their own experience with mandate life cycles. Taken together, these exchanges offered a more complete understanding of the mandate life cycle. President, allow me to give a brief overview of some insights that emerged from the briefers. The briefing on mandate creation highlighted the need for greater visibility across mandates to enhance coordination and harmonisation and reduce duplication, for the design of clearer and more actionable mandates and for more discipline in mandating tasks and for enhanced technical and practical support to Member States in drafting and adopting mandates.

Challenges identified by briefers included increasingly lengthy and complex mandates, inadequate alignment between mandates and resource allocation, ambiguous drafting and limited and inconsistent investment and evaluation, all of which hamper implementation. Brief has suggested solutions such as standardising review clauses, linking resources and actions more clearly and providing the Secretary General with greater flexibility to assign tasks based on comparative advantage in a neutral manner consistent with Member State decision making. Primacy Brief has also proposed leveraging digital tools such as online registries and AI to improve access to information and reduce duplication, while noting the need for adequate safeguards to ensure security and maintain effective human oversight. The briefing on Mandate implementation underscored the administrative burden generated by the continued proliferation of meetings and reports, the prevalence of recurring reporting with limited demonstrable uptake and the fragmentation caused by funding modalities. Briefers posited that extra budgetary funding, much of which is heavily earmarked, shape behaviours across the system, sometimes requiring UN system leaders to spend an autumn that time time and effort on fundraising and often resulting in UN entities taking on activities outside the scope of their comparative advantage.

We heard that implementation was also affected by weaknesses in Secretariat and Member State coordination and the absence of a comprehensive knowledge management system to support system wide coherence. Briefers again noted the potential of AI and other digital tools, as long as appropriately safeguarded, to support knowledge management and improved implementation. With regard to mandate review, the briefing pointed to the lack of clear review mechanisms in most mandates. This often resulted in automatic renewal through inertia rather than deliberate decision. Delegations heard that many recurring agenda items tend to be reproduced with limited change, reducing opportunities for strategic steering.

We also heard that inconsistent performance information and wide variation in results frameworks limited the ability of Member states to assess implementation and impact. Examples from across the system, such as the Security Council's time bound mandates and annual pruning of its agenda and the QCPR's collective assessment of related mandates, offered illustrations of how structured review systems have the potential to support better decision making. UNIP's provision of technical notes illustrated how careful design can support improved implementation and effective review of mandates. We take this opportunity to reiterate our thanks to the briefers, all of whom provided valuable inputs and context, setting us up for a shared understanding of the challenges we face and possible options to consider.

President during our consultations with Working Group members, several recurring themes emerged. Many delegations reaffirmed the enduring importance of the UN system and its role as a custodian of global norms, a forum for diplomacy and cooperation, and a platform for delivering practical assistance on the ground, particularly to the most vulnerable. At the same time, delegations expressed concern that the system does not always deliver to our expectations. Fragmentation, duplication, inefficiencies and a lack of adequate resourcing were frequently mentioned as barriers to achieving greater impact. Delegations noted the increasing volume and complexity of mandates.

This proliferation affects the capacity of the UN system to deliver effectively, but it also affects the ability of member states to meaningfully engage and provide effective oversight and accountability in a strategic and coherent manner. Smaller delegations in particular noted the volume of mandates and mandated activities activities was at times simply overwhelming. However, several delegations stressed that the mandate implementation review process should not simply be an exercise to reduce the number of mandates, but rather to enhance the effectiveness of their implementation. Many highlighted the need for greater clarity and mandate design, stronger alignment with collaboration, collectively agreed priorities, and better visibility across mandates to help avoid unintended duplication. Delegations pointed to a persistent misalignment between mandate decisions and available resources.

Many stressed that this was not about making new mandates conditional on the approval of new resources. Rather, they stressed that where mandates are created or renewed without sufficient clarity on the resource implications, implementation suffers with difficult decisions sometimes required on relative prioritisation without clear criteria or mechanisms to guide them. We also heard that monitoring and impact assessment varies widely across the UN system. The fact that only 15% of mandates have built in review clauses and the inconsistent availability of performance information were highlighted as areas for closer scrutiny. Most delegations also underscored the importance of ensuring the working group's efforts are well coordinated with other UN80 reform processes, particularly those focused on structural reform and program realignment as well as revitalisation efforts.

President A range of views were also expressed on how Mandate practices could be improved across the life cycle. Delegations offered different perspectives regarding the extent to which greater structure or standardisation could be useful in the design phase, the degree of flexibility that should be available during implementation and the kinds of mechanisms that might support more consistent review over time. Some delegations emphasise the importance of enhancing coherence, predictability and discipline in mandate practices. Others highlighted the need to preserve flexibility, noting that mandates vary in nature and context, so approaches suitable in one area may not be appropriate in another. Views were expressed on the extent to which improvements agreed by the Working Group could be applied to the existing stock of mandates, with some calling for retrospective application and others wishing to focus on new or renewing mandates.

Working Group members commented on the need to take a balanced approach in determining the degree of Secretariat support or discretion that should apply, noting Member States overarching decision making responsibilities. Perspectives were also shared regarding the balance between strengthening administrative efficiency and safeguarding the analytical depth and accountability functions that reporting and oversight processes are intended to provide. Delegations expressed a range of views on how these elements should evolve. Maintaining confidence in the system would need to be balanced with practical considerations. Overall, Working Group members underscored the value they placed on this process and the importance of approaching the next phase of our work in a manner that accommodates this breadth of perspectives while supporting practical improvements across the mandate life cycle.

President in decision 79, 571, we were tasked with identifying principles and follow up actions to improve the creation, delivery and review of mandates across our various engagements. Delegations raised several possible principles that could guide further improvements in the mandate life cycle. Firstly, there was broad agreement that our approach to mandates across all phases of their life cycle across the UN system must be focused on maximising impact for the people we serve. Second, Working Group members were united in in emphasising that decisions on mandate creation, renewal and termination are the exclusive prerogative of Member States. Delegations acknowledge that mandates are diverse in nature and cautioned against a one size fits all approach.

Most called for a balanced approach to mandates across the three pillars of the UN peace and security, sustainable development and human rights. Many encouraged enhanced visibility, transparency, clarity, coherence and discipline in the design of mandates. Many requested the Secretariat to provide enhanced, appropriate and impartial assistance to support more effective mandate formulation and decision making by Member States. Adequate and appropriate resourcing of mandates was was emphasized by many and there was wide agreement that Member States should be informed by relevant data and analysis when designing mandates. Mandates should be designed to deliver tangible outcomes to ensure accountability and many delegations stress the value of reviewing mandates to better assess their implementation and impact and to inform decisions on their future.

Delegations pointed to the value of improving strategic coordination and fostering a culture of continuous improvement across the UN system. So we acknowledge that this is not an exhaustive list or presentation of ideas for high level guiding principles that we as Co Chairs heard from you during the discovery phase. Nonetheless, we do consider that these could serve as the basis for further discussion during the upcoming production phase, and we look forward to engaging further with you on them and any other ideas you may bring. President thank you.

I thank the Co Chair for this very detailed and intense briefing. Thank you, your Excellency Representative of New Zealand. I now give the floor to the other Co Chair of the Informal Ad Hoc Working Group on UNAD Initiative Permanent Representative of Jamaica, His Excellency Brian Wallace to brief the membership on the second part. Thank.

You. Thank you, Madam President Excellencies. Decision 79, 571 also tasked us with identifying actions to improve the creation, delivery and review of mandates. It is our view that any actions should flow naturally from the principles we identify. It is our further view, which we believe most Working Group members share, that the overall objective of any agreed actions should be to make UN bandits more efficient and impactful across their life cycle.

The discovery phase of this process unearthed many ideas for specific actions that the Working Group could agree to improve mandates. As with the principles outlined by Ambassador Schwalger, we look forward to further discussions during the production phase of this process to determine which actions should form part of a package of outcomes, bearing in mind the need to achieve the highest possible level of ambition in our outcome. Working Group members acknowledged the importance of the creation phase of the mandate life cycle. We heard strong recognition that improving this stage of the life cycle would set us up for success. From the outset, Working Group members encouraged a tailored approach based on mandate type and context, with the form and frequency of resolutions or decisions creating or renewing mandates to be determined by their nature and purpose.

Working Group members asked for enhanced Secretariat support for Member States in the creation or renewal of mandates. Mandates. Some actions proposed in this regard included the Tasking the Secretariat to develop options for providing more systematic advice to support Member State decision making. This could include making available comprehensive information and analysis on relevant existing mandates, improved guidance on resource implications and technical advice on effective drafting to facilitate implementation and assessment of impact. Practical suggestions included the development of mandate templates, checklists, codes of conduct and drafting guidance, as well as the provision of technical notes or mandate landscape briefings.

Another tasking the Secretariat to further develop practical tools to support Member State decision making. This could include improving the functionality of the online Mandates Registry and taking advantage of AI tools while ensuring appropriate safeguards to maintain security and effective human oversight. Many Working Group members also emphasize the role of Member States in making our own work more efficient and impactful. Some actions proposed in this regard include included committing to drafting and adopting shorter, clearer, more focused and more actionable mandates grounded in realistic expectations and informed by available information on the resourcing required Enhancing efforts to promote coherence and avoid unnecessary duplication across the UN system Drawing on the enhanced visibility provided by Secretariat tools and guidance Providing the Secretary General with the flexibility to allocate mandated tasks to parts of the UN system with a clear comparative advantage in delivering the outcomes sought Noting that some delegations stressed that this should only be done in a manner consistent with transparent criteria and direction provided by Member States in the relevant mandates, Madam President Working Group members highlighted the criticality of mandate implementation. Our ability to effectively deliver on the mandates we adopt will to a large extent determine how the UN is judged by our citizens and rightly so.

We heard significant concerns that the existing stock of mandates places heavy workloads on delegations, in particular preventing smaller delegations from participating in the strategic decisions of the organization. It hampers implementation and dilutes impact actions proposed to improve this included taking a more strategic approach to the frequency with which mandates are considered and or renewed based on their nature and purpose Showing restraint in in commissioning reports, meetings, including high level meetings and other activities to allow resources to be better aligned with the strategic priorities agreed by Member States Encouraging the Secretariat to prepare shorter, higher quality, more readable reports in formats more suitable to the information provided, without reducing transparency or the visibility of important issues. Many Working Group members stressed the importance of adequate and reliable funding to support effective mandate implementation and acknowledged a misalignment between mandates and the resources necessary for their implementation. Actions proposed to improve this included committing to upholding our funding obligations by paying paying assessed contributions in full and on time Reducing barriers to the flexible and effective use of resources which support mandate implementation, such as the earmarking of voluntary contributions Considering further the Secretary General's request to allow UN System entities greater flexibility to redeploy resources quickly with reasonable justification based on further clarity of the criteria and processes to be employed Resequencing the budgetary process to enable the Secretary General to provide earlier information to Member States on the resource implications of mandates well in advance of their approval or renewal Agreeing to refrain from adopting mandates without allocating the resources now necessary for implementation or reprioritizing existing activities. We also heard that strengthening mandate implementation will require a system wide approach.

Actions proposed to improve this included Committing to Taking a consistent approach to mandate reform across the UN system applying shared principles and actions where appropriate Committing to strengthen internal strategic oversight mechanisms within the UN system and to utilize existing system wide coordination platforms more effectively to avoid duplication and enhance delivery Encouraging the Chairs and facilitators of UN bodies, committees, boards and processes to work collectively to improve the efficiency, effectiveness and contemporization of the UN's working methods. Madam President On Mandate Review, Working Group members called for improved mechanisms to support Member States to assess progress and adjust mandates as required and to inform decisions on renewal or termination when they are successfully completed or become obsolete. Working Group members discussed examples of good evaluation and review practices that exist across the UN system and made specific proposals for action on evaluation, including Committing to including evaluation and review clauses in all new mandates and in existing mandates when these are renewed with clauses to include clear objectives, timelines, criteria and mechanisms Standardizing resources allocated for evaluation in mandate budgets Agreeing to assess mandates based on relevant data, expertise and analysis provided by the Secretariat and, where appropriate, credible independent sources Agreeing to explore greater use of collective reviews of similar or related mandates across mandating bodies to improve coordination and coherence Encouraging the Secretary General to make active use of his existing authority to make recommendations on inactive or duplicative mandates that could be merged or discontinued for Member States to consider. Several delegations stressed that, once adopted, mandates ought to remain valid until completed or terminated by a decision of Member States. Others noted that timelines and expiry clauses could be included in mandates from the outset, citing examples of where these have been successfully employed.

Acknowledging the sensitivity of this issue and cognizant of the diverse nature of mandates, specific proposals for action included agreeing a clear and objective set of criteria to guide decisions on continuing adjusting or retiring mandates Committing to ensure that mandate renewal, adaptation or termination are informed by implementation assessments which focus on outcomes and impact rather than activities and outputs. We stress again that this is a non exhaustive presentation of possible actions that we as Co Chairs heard from you during the during the Discovery Phase. While not all of these currently enjoy the support of all Working Group members, we consider it our duty to discuss them with you during the upcoming production phase. We therefore look forward to engaging further with you on them and on other ideas you may wish to bring. Madam President Excellencies, please allow us to just outline our vision for the forthcoming production phase of the Working Group's work.

As we have mentioned, we will undertake further consultations with Member States and stakeholders in Nairobi, Geneva and Vienna in early January. We likewise remain available to engage with you here in New York and across the UN ecosystem Throughout the discovery phase. We have heard broad support for a high ambition outcome to our work. Working Group members broadly agree that we are at an important inflection point for the UN and as such, decisive action is needed to vastly improve mandate implementation. We have therefore concluded that this requires the adoption of a General assembly resolution.

To this end, we as Co Chairs will prepare a zeal zero draft of the resolution to be circulated to Working Group members in early January. We consider that the resolution may include principles to guide mandate creation, delivery and review, actions to be taken by Member States, instructions for the UN Secretariat, directions to General assembly subsidiary bodies and recommendations for other parts of the UN system as appropriate. Decision 79.571 requires us to finish our work by the end of March 2026. It is our intention for consultations on the zero draft to begin in New York during the week of the 19th of January. We will provide further details and a more comprehensive production phase roadmap.

In due course we will continue to conduct the mandate implementation review in an inclusive and transparent manner. Please be aware though that we intend to continue the majority of engagement in this process at permanent representative level, given that these issues require executive leadership and strategic and long term approaches. Conscious of the demand on Ambassador's time, we will continue to design the process with due regard to these constraints.

Excellencies, your engagement and inputs to date have been thoughtful, innovative, timely and extraordinarily constructive. We take this opportunity to thank you once again for your participation and for the spirit of collaboration, warmth and collegiality. We rely on you all to continue engaging in this spirit in the next phase of our endeavors. We also wish to thank the President of the General assembly and her Office, the Secretary General and his Executive Office and the Secretariat, including dgsem, for their tireless support on both logistics and substance. I would also take this opportunity to thank our teams from Jamaica and New Zealand for their commitment and dedication to this process.

Madam President, Excellencies, we have a monumental task ahead of us and just a short amount of time to achieve an outcome worthy of these United Nations. As we said at the outset, the UN is at a critical juncture. This Working Group is a mechanism for us as Member States to demonstrate that concrete progress can be made on reforms that can strengthen this organization and improve the effectiveness, efficiency and impact of its work. As the leaders of our UN community, we have a particular responsibility to build trust and mutual understanding to ensure we collectively deliver concrete outcomes for all our people as envisaged by the UN Charter. I wish you happy holidays and we look forward to seeing you again in the New Year to continue our work.

I thank you. I thank the Co Chair again for his detailed briefing. Both of you together. Your Excellency, Brian Wallace. We have come to the end of the briefing by the Co Chairs.

As announced by the Co Chairs, Member States will have an opportunity to make statements at the next meeting of the Working Group. And there will be many meetings. While this meeting is scheduled to end at 11:00am, which is in exactly 12 minutes, I recognize that there are Member States wishing to make an intervention at this meeting. Because we are in this very important process. I would like to allow that.

But in the view of the limited time available, please keep your interventions brief. I see at the moment, 5 for 12 divided by 5 is 2 minutes and a bit. We are discussing microphone cuts off also in the committee, so maybe everybody can practice and give a fair chance to anybody. And as said, there will be many, many more chances of debate. More members are calling for the floor.

At some point we have to decide if people are remaining and PRs are still in the room. I think it's very productive. If people are leaving, it's not. So we will watch the list and then I will make a proposal. The first who has pressed the button for the floor is China, on behalf of the Group of Friends of Global Governments, followed by the European Union, and these are groups.

And again, please try to be short as you can in the name of solidarity and respect to others.

Thank you, Madam President. I have the honor to deliver the joint statement on behalf of the 43 members of the Group of Friends of global governance. The UN80 initiative comes at the moment when the world has entered a new period of turbulence and transformation. The goal of the Initiative should reflect the aspirations of the vast majority of Member States. That is to uphold multilateralism, to strengthen the un, to safeguard international rule of law, and to improve global governance.

We thank the Co Chairs and the Secretariat for their dedicated efforts in advancing the UN80 initiative. Looking ahead, we would like to highlight three key points. First, the UN80 initiative must focus on improving both effectiveness and efficiency of the UN's work. For 80 years, the UN has made significant contributions in areas of international peace and security, global development and human rights. That said, in order to make it better fit for today's challenges, the UN needs adaptation, revitalization and strengthening.

To this end, the UN needs to reduce duplication, eliminate overlap and improve efficiency. More importantly, the UN needs to enhance its agility, responsiveness and resilience and better deliver. That means the UN80 initiative is not simply about cutting budget or downsizing stuff staff, but also about increasing investment in key areas based on the needs of the Member States. It would uphold the UN Charter, preserve the intergovernmental nature of the UN and promote balanced progress across the three pillars. It would strengthen the UN's ability to serve the member States and all people around the world.

Second, the UN Aid Initiative must address the concerns of the developing countries who make up 2/3 of the UN membership. Development is the top priority for developing countries, yet 2/3 of the Sustainable Development Goals are lagging. Reform of the Development Pillar must take into account the vast needs and challenges of the developing countries. Mechanisms and resources should prioritize development and support the 2030 Agenda, including through capacity building. The principle of equitable geographical representation is important.

Representation and the voice of developing countries matter, which is also central to the Pact for the future. The under representation of developing countries in the Secretariat must be addressed, not aggravated. The implication of mandate reform on the Development Pillar and on the interests of the developing countries must be fully considered and their concerns generally accommodated. Third, UNHC progress must remain transparent and inclusive. The UN is an intergovernmental organization.

Member States should play the central role and participate on equal footing in the unity process and across all its work streams. We appreciate the Co Chairs consultations with Member States over the past three months. We trust the Co Chairs will continue to facilitate cooperation among Member States for concrete actions and the adoption of the outcome document by consensus. President, the Group of Friends of Global Governance stands ready to work with all parties in advancing the UN 80 initiative in the direction that supports a more just and equitable global governance system, strengthen the UN for the long term and serve the common interests of all members. I thank you.

I thank the representative of China, His Excellency. You heard maybe my little knocking here because I'm really delighted that everybody is engaging exactly what I called for. So I won't stop it, but because I would like to give all the eight speakers which have pressed the bottom a chance. So we close the speaking list for now. We continue in the upcoming weeks and months.

So please try to stay to two minutes. This was three and we will cut off at three, so everybody has the same level playing field. Next please. Speaker would be European Union. I tell you who's on the list.

So you can prepare for two minutes. European Union Australia Brazil United Arab Emirates Pakistan Egypt Belize, Maldives Next speaker, the Excellency, the Permanent Representative of the European Union.

Madam President, on behalf of the EU Member States and the candidate countries, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Ukraine, Moldova, Bosnia Herzegovina as well as Monaco and San Marino, I'd like to kick off by thanking you for convening us and sending a special thanks and appreciation to our Co Chairs for their transparent, inclusive and excellent coordination of this Working Group. Let me highlight just a few of our priorities in Wordstream. True.

First of all, we must ensure the effectiveness and continued relevance of both existing and future mandates through action oriented language. We need to set up clear and objective review mechanisms linked to budgetary realities and provide sunset and review clauses. Secondly, we must streamline and rationalize meetings and reports of course, as well as further enhance the Digital Mandate Registry to be able to identify and address duplications and overlapping functions. Third, we also support granting greater flexibility to the Secretary General to assign mandated tasks according to comparative advantages and resource availability based on clear criteria. Fourth, of course we do welcome the establishment of the UNAD Action Plan as a system wide framework across all three work streams.

And finally, we encourage the Secretariat to continue fostering constructive dialogue through prompt responses, valuable briefings and regular updates. Your digital tools need to be further developed. Dear friends, your efforts have been and will continue to be fundamental to our success. The European Union Member President and his Member States stand ready to translate our inputs into tangible action, working with everyone in this room, fully respecting UN Principles and values. Thank you.

I thank the Representative of the European Union. I now give the floor to the Representative of Australia on behalf of Keynes.

Thank you very much indeed, President, and thank you for your leadership on the reform agenda and a particular expression of appreciation to our two Co Chairs who have so ably led us and so usefully briefed us today. As you mentioned, President, of course I speak on behalf of Canada, New Zealand and my own delegation Australia. To date, the AD HOP Working Group has been fundamental in fostering the common purpose we've heard expressed in consultations towards ambitious and effective reform of the United Nations.

Cairns wholeheartedly supports this process. We commend the skilled facilitation by our CO Chairs, value the insights shared by panellists and welcome the constructive engagement by Member States, particularly their thoughtful proposals to improve how mandates are created, implemented and referred to reviewed. Today's report back by the Co Chairs has provided us with a useful summary of the key themes and ideas discussed to date and we look forward to reflecting further on how these might be taken forward in the next phase of our work. As we transition from the Discovery phase to the production phase, we must carry forward the momentum and common purpose. We have built our next steps.

Identifying principles and follow up actions as per General assembly decision 79, 571 demands ambition and an open mindset. Without these, we risk stalling or failing in our task. We look forward to further clarity on how the process will be structured. And as we move into the production phase, it will be important that delegations remain engaged at an appropriately senior level to help sustain a clear strategic focus on the Organisation's long term interests. We stand ready to engage at that level and would welcome the CO Chairs organising our work in a manner which facilitates this.

Cairns remains committed to working with all Member States towards bold and decisive reform. We look for a UN that is modern, agile and fit for purpose. One that upholds international law and norms, drives global cooperation on shared challenges and delivers essential services on the ground for for those who need it. Thank you.

I thank Australia.

I now give the floor to Belize because they are speaking on behalf of CARICOM and then Brazil.

Thank you very much, Madam President. I have the honor to deliver the statement on behalf of the 14 member. States of the Caribbean Community, CARICOM. CARICOM thanks the Co Chairs for their oral report and for the structured, inclusive and transparent manner in which they have guided the Discovery phase. The approach taken has enabled all delegations, including small and capacity constrained ones such.

As our own, to engage meaningfully with issues before us. We view today's report as an important point in our collective effort to strengthen how mandates are designed, implemented and reviewed. As small island developing States, we attach particular importance to a mandate life cycle that is coherent, accessible and manageable. And we appreciate the space created for. Thoughtful reflection throughout this phase.

Madam President, the broader context of the UN80 initiative reminds us that this Working Group is part of a moment where Member States can help shape improvements that enhance the organization's ability to deliver for those it serves. The report presented today provides a useful foundation as we prepare for the next. Phase of this work. In this regard, CARICOM reiterates its confidence in the CO Chairs and its readiness to continue engaging constructively with all delegations. We remain committed to supporting a process marked by openness, partnership and a shared interest in strengthening the organization.

I thank you. I thank the distinguished representative of Belize. I now give the floor to Brazil, followed by the United Arab Emirates and Pakistan.

Thank you, Madam President. As we bring to a close this two month discovery Phase of Work Stream two My delegation joins others in paying tribute to the leadership of the two Co Chairs. Brazil is pleased to have contributed with concrete proposals aimed at strengthening the Mandate Implementation network through modern data driven tools and standardized methodologies. Of particular relevance to the next phase of this process, Brazil recommended starting establishing a common evaluation framework for mandate implementation. Madam President, the production phase will require creativity and objectivity.

Creativity to identify concrete ways of doing things that no longer help to make the organization fit for purpose or undermine its capacity to serve Member States or our citizens. Objectivity to come up with ideas on specific procedures, mechanisms and tools that help us create, deliver on and review mandates in a more efficient and effective manner. This exercise should continue to avoid undue politicization and focus on sound technical work. Guided by the Charter, Brazil will remain fully committed to engaging constructively in this collective endeavor. I thank you.

I thank Brazil. I now give the floor to the United Arab Emirates.

Thank you, Madam President, for convening this important meeting at the outset. I would like to thank you and the Co Chairs for the briefings today and the Co Chairs for their stewardship of the informal ad hoc Working group on the Mandate Implementation review to date. I also thank the panelists who have engaged with us throughout this process, as well as fellow Member States for their insights and the constructive exchange of views. I would also like to take this opportunity to recognize the Secretariat for the technical and analytical support provided throughout this process. Madam President, the United Arab Emirates firmly believes that we must use the UN80 initiative to shape the United nations for the next generation and ensure it delivers on its founding promise.

We therefore support all efforts to improve efficiency and coherence across the un. A time of raising demands and constrained resources. This requires a focused reassessment of how. The organization allocates its time and resources. As we look ahead to the next phase of this process, we should concentrate on strengthening mandate design and management from the outset, reducing duplication, streamlining, reporting, and ensuring that mandates are clear, time bound and regularly assessed for impact and relevance.

This must be carefully considered to ensure that streamlining does not undermine the core. Values of the mandates at hand. We must also make a strategic use of all tools at our disposal to strengthen delivery across all three pillars, including through better use of innovation and digital tools such as AI to improve efficiency. And decision making, as well as the. Development of a comprehensive mandate registry to enhance visibility and reduce duplication.

Madam President, the UAE will continue to engage constructively in the UN 80 initiative in pursuit of a United nations that truly delivers on the promise of the UN Charter. Thank you, Madam President.

I thank the representative of the United Arab Emirates. I now give the floor to Pakistan, followed by Egypt and the Maldives.

Thank you. Pakistan aligns with the statement by China. On behalf of the Group of Friends on Global Governance, I would like to thank you, Madam President and Ambassadors Brian and Caroline for leading an inclusive and transparent discovery phase of this process.

We appreciate that some of the initial suggestions by our delegations have been considered as we move into the production phase. Our delegation would like to reiterate a few basic points. First, first, to recall that when Work Stream 2 was initially presented by the Secretary General, it was repeatedly assured that this was not a review of existing mandates, but rather a mandate implementation review. Second, our success or failure will be determined by whether we avoid the pitfalls of the 2006 review exercise which attempted to review existing mandates. From our point of view, this requires maintaining a forward looking approach and focusing on future mandates.

Third, we must at all times remain aware of the breadth, diversity and varying degrees of sensitivity of mandates across the United nations system. A uniform or mechanistic approach is neither appropriate nor viable, nor is attempting to determine relevance of mandates based based on age, impact or effectiveness or any other subjective criteria. Thus, we would suggest that prior to commencing substantive negotiations during the production phase, the CO Chairs put forward clear parameters on the breadth and scope of this exercise. This would make it easier to both maintain ambition in our work as well as foster consensus. Consensus, let me emphasize, must also be our goal for the GA resolution that will be negotiated.

You can count on our support. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Pakistan. I now give the floor to Egypt.

Madam President, we look at this specific work stream on mandates as an integral part of the UNHE initiative. There is simply no way to ensure that this organization regains its effectiveness, efficiency and lean operation without a very close and thorough look at its mandates, how they're created, how they're carried out and how they're reviewed and eventually, in some cases, put to rest. Egypt engaged in the initial design of this process with a view that this working group needs to be both backwards and forwards looking. Because no matter how far we agree on future mandate processes, the nearly 4,000 existing mandates will always hold us back. Many of them are redundant, irrelevant and just no longer needed.

We believe there still is space to reflect on how we can take up these previous mandates, cluster them based on a set number of criteria, and lay out a comprehensive work plan to gradually end what needs to be ended. This needs time, probably beyond March effort and the willingness to get things done, but we believe it is doable. Drawing lessons from previous attempts Looking forward Madam President, we believe the next few months are crucial and there are two issues that we need to focus on. First, what kind of outcome are we envisioning? A negotiated text, a set of rules and procedures, A number of actionable recommendations or guidelines.

We heard the Co Chairs indicate that they will circulate a text early January and we look forward to this text and to engage on it. Second, how are we going to get to this outcome? What is the level of ambition and how enforceable will this outcome be? These are two questions that are very important that we need to ask ourselves and we need to answer in the in the few weeks ahead. We look forward to continue this discussion on these two elements among others, and we get and as we get ready to receive the written update and the draft resolution from the Co Chairs, I thank you very much Madam President.

I thank the representative of Egypt. Last but not least, I give the floor to the Maldives.

Thank you Madam President. The Maldives commenced the leadership of the Co Chairs, Ambassador Schwalger of New Zealand and Ambassador Welles of Jamaica. In steering the process, the Maldives wishes to make three points. First, mandate creation, implementation and review must remain a Member State led process grounded in transparent and inclusive consultations. Decisions related to mandate implementation review should be taken through transparent, inclusive and Member State driven and full effective participation of Member States.

Second, mainnet implementation must reflect full breadth and diversity of organizations work throughout the life cycles of Member States. The three pillars of the UN Development, peace and Security and human Rights should receive balanced attention so that every mandate from its design to report and reflects the integrated nature of the organization's work. The reviews should also take into account diversity of mandates and context and capacities across member states and UN entities. A1 size fits all approach can cannot capture this diversity in a fair and accurate manner. Third, improving the effectiveness requires smarter processes that support participation and avoid duplication.

The review should avoid duplication and overlap revitalization processes of the General assembly and its committees that have their own revitalization process. Many of these processes will take place next year, including consideration of possibilities for addressing the periodicity of resolutions, the merger of agenda items and updating the formats for resolutions. Considering this, it is important that we do not prejudge the outcome of the processes through the work of this informal ad hoc working group. I thank you.

Excellencies. I thank you for your personal engagement also that so many Ambassadors have participated. Personally. I thank the Co Chairs again for their detailed briefing and I also thank you for the collective time solidarity, showing that we can be short and sharp. And in this good spirit, I wish you all a good following day.

The informal meeting of the plenary is now concluded. The meeting is adjourned.