Fifth Committee, 1st plenary meeting - General Assembly, 81st session
General Assembly
Date: 5 October 2026
Language: English
Transcript: https://transcripts.un.org/en/ga/c5/81/1
Transcripts available through this tool are created by using automatic speech recognition and are not official records nor official documents of the United Nations. Official records and official documents are available on the Official Document System of the United Nations.

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NGR · Chair [0:02]:

Good morning. I declare open the first meeting of the Fifth Committee at the 81st session of the General Assembly. I wish to extend to you all a warm welcome. Distinguished colleagues, it is my honor to welcome His Excellency Khalilur Rahman, President of the 81st session of the General Assembly to the Fifth Committee this morning. You are welcome, Your Excellency. We are grateful to have you with us, Mr. President. I would like to give the floor to His Excellency, Mr. President, to address the Committee. Your Excellency, you have the floor.


GA · PGA [1:01]:

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, Excellencies, distinguished delegates and friends, good morning to all of you. I congratulate you, Mr. Chair, and members of the Bureau on assuming the stewardship of this Committee at such a consequential moment for our Organization, and I thank you for your warm words of welcome. I also recognize our Controller, Mr. Ramanathan, who is with us today and his dedicated team for the expert advice and tireless effort and support on which the committee's deliberations critically depend. For me, being here carries a special meaning. More than 40 years ago, as a young diplomat, I began following the work of this committee from the perspective of a member state. I was one of you. Later during my 25 years in the Secretariat, like Mr. Controller, I gained insight into the functioning of this Committee from the Secretariat's point of view. More recently, as a policy maker, I have seen how decisions of this Committee translate into results on the ground. Many things have changed in the past four decades, but one thing remains the same: every part of the United Nations depends on the work of this Committee. You are, in a very real sense, the circulatory system of the organization, deciding on the resources that sustain our work. If the other committees are where we make promises, the Fifth Committee is where we determine whether those promises will be kept. Your consideration of the program budget, the scale of assessments, human resources, confidence management and oversight is therefore not mere technical. Your work critically affects the functioning, effectiveness and credibility of our organization. Allow me to offer five reflections. First, financial sustainability, mandate discipline and accountability must go together. Timely, full and unconditional payment of assist contributions is essential. Liquidity is not simply an accounting matter. When resources do not arrive, planning stalls, recruitment freezes, and mandates adopted with ambition fall short in implementation. At the same time, the scale of assessments must continue to embody fairness, solidarity, and capacity to pay. Our contributions come ultimately from people in every member state. We therefore have a solemn responsibility to account for every dollar and direct it toward meaningful results. This responsibility applies equally to the mandates we create. This concern is not new. In 1949, and I repeat it in all committees, and I said it in my inaugural speech, in 1949, barely four years after the founding of the United Nations, The General Assembly adopted Resolution 310 on the proliferation and overlapping of programs. It warned that multiplying activities, projects, meetings, and subsidiary bodies could weaken effectiveness, overburden member states, and divert limited resources from agreed priorities. It called instead for greater concentration of effort, clearer prioritization, simpler structures, and more disciplined use of resources. 77 years later, that guidance remains strikingly relevant today. More than 85% of active mandates have contained no provision for their review or termination. Resolution 80/251 now offers Member States additional tools to improve mandate design, implementation, reporting and review. If we create mandates, we must fully justify them in terms of their necessity and resource them to ensure their implementation. If resources are constrained, we must prioritize. Ambition without capacity becomes an empty promise, and every empty promise diminishes trust. Second, reform must go deeper than rearranging structures. Reform cannot become an exercise in institutional game of Lego. taking one piece from here, placing it somewhere else, putting things together, blocks together, changing a name. Moving posts may produce savings, merging units may reduce duplication, and they have merits. But unless we examine the underlying logic of what we do, we may alter the organizational chart without significantly improving the organization. Let me therefore leave a few questions for your reflection. Have we examined the resolutions adopted in a single year to determine how many paragraphs are repeated across various resolutions and how much could be consolidated or rationalized? Have we compared thematic reports across several consecutive years to examine how much substantive analysis has changed beyond updated statistics and how much resources we devote to producing those technical updates? Why should delegates consider SG's report in October, which depend on information that may already be eight or nine months old, when technology could provide secure, validated, and continuously updated information on a real-time basis? And how much resources do we spend to produce those reports? And have we considered whether United Nations career reflects the modern human resources practices of the world's best performing organizations? Should we not place greater emphasis on performance new skills, managed transitions, and ability to bring expertise both into and out of the organization? These questions are not conclusions. They are invitations to undertake the deeper diagnosis that meaningful transformation requires. Third, efficiency and effectiveness must ultimately be judged by results on the ground. I have seen up close in the Rohingya camps in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, how the country team is adapting to funding reductions through innovative choices. A significant number of functions previously performed by international personnel were localized, qualified national personnel maintained, and in some cases improved the quality of services at approximately one-fifth of the cost or less. This is not an argument for indiscriminate substitution, not at all. It is an argument for recognizing local knowledge, investing in national capacity, asking in every context how each dollar can deliver the greatest possible benefit. The real test of reform is not whether an organigram becomes smaller. It's the delivery that ultimately counts. It is whether a refugee receives protection, a child receives food, a mediator reaches a conflict before violence escalates, and communities are better able to shape their own future. Fourth, the physical condition of our premises must reflect the dignity of this Organization. Please take a look at the sorry state of seating facilities at this conference room. Some chairs and seats in the General Assembly Hall and I can see it perched on top of the hall and other conference rooms are worn, damaged or torn. heads of state and government, ministers, permanent representatives, and delegates yourselves. Use these facilities every day. This is not merely a matter of appearance. These rooms are the principal workplaces of multilateral diplomacy. They are where member states negotiate peace, development, human rights, and the stewardship of this organization. Their condition should reflect the dignity of the United Nations and the respect owed to the representative of its Member States. I call upon the Committee to address this matter on a priority basis and to fast-track a practical solution. I intend to meet with the Bureau and the relevant departments as early as possible, and technical experts to identify what can be done immediately, responsibly and cost-effectively. Fifth and finally, we must ensure sustainable support for the Office of the President of the General Assembly. 40 years ago, I joined the Cabinet of the President of the 41st session of the UNGA as a newly minted member. Over the ensuing decades, I've personally witnessed substantial expansion of the scale and scope of the President's responsibilities. Yet, the office receives a tiny, and I repeat, a tiny amount of regular budget support. Currently, only 8 out of 40 posts are funded by the regular budget. The PGO's office relies heavily on voluntary, extra-budgetary contributions and secondments by governments. In the present global environment, mobilizing extra-budgetary resources has become increasingly difficult. Secondments remain an important source of support, but it is quite difficult for countries in special situations to second staff. If the President is expected, besides normal functions, to facilitate complex negotiations, convene high-level processes, advance the revitalization of the General Assembly, and respond to emerging global challenges, his office must have the institutional capacity to deliver. I therefore strongly call upon the Fifth Committee to revisit the budget and support structure of the office of the UNGA President, including its regular budget staffing, non-post resources, institutional continuity, and access to expertise required to fulfill its growing responsibilities. Currently, the President of the General Assembly does not have the authority to recruit regular budget staff for his office. The one executive office of the Department of Operational Support administers the recruitment of OPGA personnel and determines eligibility and level. A merit of this arrangement is that the candidates for regular budget posts of the Office of the President are evaluated independently by the Executive Office in the same manner as the rest of the UN Secretariat staff. I intend to continue this arrangement during my presidency. Finally, appropriate physical space of the Office of the President has been an issue for nearly three decades. When I joined the Office of the President in 1986, It was on the 38th floor, then it was thrown down to the third floor. So I'm in discussions with the Secretary-General. I've had very fruitful discussions, and I thank him for initiating steps to restore the physical space of the Office. Mr. Chair, how this Committee decides matters as much as what it decides. Consensus remains one of the greatest strengths. of this Committee. A budget agreed by all is a budget owned by all. I urge delegations to complete the Committee's work within the established time frame, and you know what I mean. Many, many years, year after year, I had to forgo my Christmas Eve dinner to stay with the members. I hope this time will make a difference, and my office and I stand ready to support you and your Bureau in this regard. I mentioned in my opening remarks on 22 September that the world is not asking whether the United Nations exists. It is asking whether it works. Our response must be found not only in the mandates we adopt, but in the results we deliver. Let us match mandates with resources, resources with accountability, and accountability with impact. Let us undertake a foundational examination of our working methods so that the United Nations can keep pace with a rapidly changing world, harnessing new and innovative technologies, improve efficiency and quality of work, reduce cost and deliver better results for the people we serve. I emphasize that in my vision statement. This is how we will manage transformation and restore trust, and this is how we will build a trusted United Nations that delivers for all. Much is in your hands. I thank you.


NGR · Chair [14:05]:

Thank you very much, the President of the General Assembly, for that very important speech. On behalf of the Committee, I would like to thank His Excellency for his remarks. As the President has informed me of other commitments, I should like, on behalf of the committee, to thank him once again for his presence here with us. Thank you, Mr. President.


GA · PGA [14:32]:

Thank you. Thank you.


NGR · Chair [15:00]:

Distinguished colleagues, your excellencies, allow me at the outset to express my gratitude for the honor you have bestowed on me and my country in electing me chair, the fifth committee during the 81st session of the General Assembly. As members will recall, the fifth committee elected bureau of the committee on 2nd June 2026. And I'm pleased to be joined by the members of the Bureau for the 81st session, Pablo from the Dominican Republic, and Costantino from Italy, and Tan from Singapore. Rapporteur, Rana Moray of the Republic of Moldova. I have no doubt that with the spirit of cooperation that prevail, we as member of the Bureau shall work together and strive to complete the task given to us successfully and in a timely manner. I would also like to use the opportunity to thank Her Excellency Zsuzsanna, the Permanent Representative of Hungary to the United Nations, the Vice Chair of the Committee His Excellency Mohammad of Islamic Republic of Iran, for their contribution, as well as Eric from Sudan, as well as the rapporteur from Chile, for their dedication and excellent manner in which the work of the Committee was conducted during the 80th session. Distinguished colleagues, I would like to turn to the organization of our work. I wish to draw the attention of the Committee to the note by the Secretariat on the organization of the work of the Fifth Committee, contained in document A/C.518/1/IF/1, in particular to paragraph 2 on the session's date and paragraph 18 on the deadline for the membership list of the Fifth Committee on 30th October. With respect to the list of speakers, including the length of statements on any given item or question, referred to in paragraph 13 and 15, I wish to recall that delegations are encouraged to observe the time limit of three minutes for statements by individual member states and five minutes for delegations speaking on behalf of group of states in connection with the time limit. As on-screen timer will be utilized, which will be activated at the start of the speaker's statement. We have, on the matter of appointment to fill vacancies in subsidiary organs and other appointments, confer in paragraph 6 and 10 of this note, it is proposed that we set aside Friday, 6th November on as a date for election under item one one nine. And 6 PM of Wednesday, 21st October, at the deadline for submission of candidature, original group endorsement, as applicable. I will encourage your member states to submit the candidate, candidates and candidature as soon as possible. Members will also recall that it is established practice of the Fifth Committee to include only the names of the candidates for whom nominations were received during the nomination period on the ballot papers and to restrict the voting to those candidates. May I take it that the Committee wishes to proceed on this basis? I hear no objection. Lastly, I wish to draw the attention of the Committee to the note by the Secretariat on the allocation of agenda item to the Fifth Committee. contained in document AC.5/81/1, as well as the status of preparedness of documentation for the main part of the session, contained in document AC.5/81/L.1. Updates to the documentation will be made available at the Committee's website. On the basis of this information, the Bureau has proceeds to program of work, which I now invite the committee to consider. I open the floor to the proposed program of work for session. I will give the floor to distinguished representatives and their excellencies. I give the floor to Gera for on behalf of G77 and China to have the floor. Your Excellencies, the floor belongs to you.


Uruguay · G77 + China · Permanent Representative [20:42]:

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We congratulate you, Ambassador. and the members of the Bureau on your election. We assure you of our full support in bringing the work of this session to a timely and successful conclusion. We extend as well our sincere appreciation to Ambassador Susanna Horvath of Hungary, her team and the outgoing Bureau for their dedication throughout the 80th session. We thank the secretariat of the Fifth Committee and the Chair and members of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions for their support. The Group reiterates that all reports must be issued in all official languages within the prescribed deadlines. Timely documentation and adequate time for each agenda item are indispensable for informed deliberations and the effective participation of all delegations. Adjustments to the programme of work must respect established procedures and allow sufficient time for coordination within Groups. Mr. Chair, the Group reaffirms the role of the Fifth Committee as the sole main committee entrusted with administrative, financial and budgetary matters. The intergovernmental nature of the Organization and the prerogatives of Member States must be fully respected. The Secretariat remains accountable to the membership for implementing mandates and decisions adopted by intergovernmental bodies. Our consideration of the proposed programme budget for 2027 must ensure the necessary resources for the full and effective implementation of all mandates. The Group will carefully scrutinize proposals and their implications for programme delivery, seeking efficiencies while preserving the Organization's capacity to discharge its responsibilities. The development pillar and the priorities of developing countries must receive due attention and resources to ensure the effective implementation of related mandates. Relatedly, the Group attaches particular importance to ensuring equitable geographical representation among United Nations staff, consistent with the Charter and essential to a truly representative Organization with a multicultural and balanced Secretariat. Regarding the proposed programme budget for 2027, the Group stresses that the UNAD initiative must be transparent, inclusive and Member State-driven, promoting sustained improvements in efficiency, resource management and mandate delivery across all three pillars. Our consideration of the proposals must be informed by a comprehensive assessment of their implications for resource requirements, organizational performance, internal controls, oversight capacity and mandate delivery, clearly distinguishing sustainable efficiencies arising from structural and managerial improvements from cost reductions resulting from liquidity constraints. Measures with potential implications for the implementation of agreed mandates, organizational arrangements, or the functioning of the organization should be presented to member states in a timely manner. with sufficient information on the rationale, expected impact and associated risk to enable informed consideration. Such measures must not prejudge the General Assembly's deliberation or be implemented before its consideration and decision. The group reaffirms the essential role of the Committee for Programme and Coordination and notes with concern that at its 66th session, consensus could not be reached even on the limited number of previously approved programmes. In this context, we stress the importance of timely consideration by the relevant main committees of the programmes on which no recommendations were agreed, to support the General Assembly's consideration of the proposed programme budget for 2027. Mr. Chair, the Group will pay particular attention to the Development Account, the Resident Coordinator System and the Peacebuilding Fund. We will also examine construction and property management proposals, including projects at the regional commissions and the United Nations Office at Nairobi, with due regard to accountability and efficient use of resources. We attach great importance to the work of the Board of Auditors, the Joint Inspection Unit and the Office of Internal Oversight Services and to the implementation of their accepted recommendations. We reaffirm that transparency, accountability and effective oversight are essential to strengthening trust in the Organization. We will also engage actively on the common and pension system, ethics and the administration of justice. The Group remains deeply concerned about the Organization's financial situation and recognizes the collective efforts we made as Member States during the second resumed part of the 80th Session to reach the historic decision approving a new methodology for the return of credits. While this decision seeks to alleviate the liquidity pressures, it in no way substitutes for the obligation of all Member States to pay their assessed contributions in full, on time, and without conditions. while recognizing the genuine difficulties faced by those whose timely payments are hindered by external impediments. The unilateral and persistent withholding of contributions, late payments and accumulated arrears continue to undermine mandate implementation and place an unfair burden on Member States that fulfill their obligations. Mr. Chair, the Group of 77 and China stands ready to engage constructively in a spirit of consensus and compromise. Negotiations must remain open. We want to ensure that the United Nations receives the resources required to fulfill its mandates. I thank you.


NGR · Chair [26:20]:

Thank you very much, Your Excellency, and thank you for reiterating the importance of mandate implementation, as well as justice and administration of justice. Thank you so much for that speech. I now give the floor to Her Excellency Heather Sampson, who will speak on behalf of the European Union. Your Excellency, you have the floor.


EU · EU [26:42]:

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I have the honor to speak on behalf of the European Union and its member states. The candidate countries, Turkey, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, the Republic of Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as Armenia, Andorra, Monaco and San Marino, align themselves with this statement. As we open the 81st session, allow me to warmly congratulate you, as well as the newly appointed Bureau members, on your election as Chair of the Fifth Committee. We are confident that your leadership will guide us and our work through a demanding agenda towards timely, balanced and successful outcomes. We look forward to working closely with you and the Bureau throughout the session. We also express our appreciation, our sincere appreciation to your predecessor, Ambassador Zsuzsanna Horvath, as well as to her team and the Bureau for their dedication and leadership through an exceptionally demanding session. And finally, we thank the Fifth Committee Secretariat, and all UN officers and staff whose professionalism and commitment underpin our work. Mr. Chair, as we embark on this new session, allow me to highlight three overarching priorities. First, the European Union and its Member States remain staunch supporters of effective multilateralism. The United Nations is at a pivotal moment, shaped by the implementation of the Pact for the Future and the continued advancement of the UNAD initiative, which has already yielded its first concrete outcomes. Complementary measures, such as the decision to introduce, on a trial basis, a revised methodology for credit return, will also support mandate implementation and the broader reform process. As the Organization prepares for a transition to a new Secretary-General, these developments provide an opportunity to reinforce our shared commitment to a multilateral system, anchored in the UN Charter and international law. Effective multilateralism is not always easy. It requires dialogue when positions diverge, flexibility when compromises are needed, and responsibility when difficult choices have to be made. And we stand ready to work collectively and by consensus in this Fifth Committee to further modernize the organization and to deliver on its mandate. Second, there cannot be an effective United Nations without adequate payment and funding of its mandates. A primary duty of all Member States is to meet their financial obligations to the Organization. The European Union and its Member States, collectively the largest contributor to the UN, fulfill this duty by paying our contributions in full, on time, and without conditions. We call on all Member States to do the same. The Fifth Committee has a particular responsibility in ensuring that mandated activities are appropriately resourced and that available resources are used responsibly. We will consider the 2027 budget with UN 80 firmly in mind. The experience of recent years should help us further accelerate a shift in organizational culture towards greater structural and cost efficiency, effectiveness and accountability. while respecting existing agreements and ensuring the implementation of the Pact for the Future. This requires matching ambition with resources and resources with realistic expectations, while preserving a balance across the three pillars of the Organization's work. And third, we recognize that the session ahead will be both demanding and consequential. Our agenda encompasses oversight and budgetary matters, organizational structures, human resources, the common system on salaries and compensation, and other issues directly affecting delivery of UN mandates. And against this backdrop, trust will be essential. The effectiveness of this Committee ultimately depends not only on the decisions we adopt, but also on how we build them together. Mr. Chair, the European Union believes that the Fifth Committee should lead by example. Our working methods should reflect the very principles that underpin the revitalization of the General Assembly and that we seek to advance across the Organization: efficiency, transparency, accountability, inclusiveness, and responsibility. We strongly advocate for transparent and inclusive proceedings. We reiterate that multilingualism is a core and fundamental value of this organisation, and we should enable all delegations to participate fully and effectively in negotiations. We also reaffirm our commitment to consensus, a principle upheld by the European Union and a cornerstone of the Fifth Committee's work. In closing, Mr. Chair, the European Union and its Member States are committed to working constructively with you and with every group and delegation. We are confident that under your leadership, we can meet the demands of this session and deliver on our shared responsibilities. You can count on our support in achieving this goal. I thank you, Mr. Chair.


NGR · Chair [31:57]:

Thank you very much, Your Excellencies, for that beautiful speech on collective building, commitment to consensus, which is our principle. in the Fifth Committee. Thank you so much. Another point made, trust and transparency and effective participation. May I give the floor now to His Excellency, the Prime Minister of Singapore, on behalf of ASEAN Group. His Excellency, you have the floor.


Singapore · ASEAN [32:24]:

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Let me begin by saying how pleased I am to see a good friend and my brother, the Permanent Representative of Nigeria, chairing this very important committee. Indeed, I have the honor to speak on behalf of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN. ASEAN aligns itself with the statement just delivered by the Permanent Representative of Uruguay on behalf of the Group of 77 and China. We congratulate you, Chair, and the members of the Bureau on your election. You can all count on ASEAN's full support and cooperation as we begin the work of the Fifth Committee at the 81st session of the General Assembly. We also thank the previous Chair and members of the Bureau for their hard work, as well as for the hard work of the members of the Secretariat, including our dear Controller, who has joined us this morning. Mr. Chair, the multilateral system anchored by the United Nations and founded on the principles of the UN Charter and international law, is fundamental to all countries, large and small. And everything that we do in the Fifth Committee must be aimed at strengthening the UN and supporting its work across its three pillars. We also need a UN that is effective, responsive, and one that is able to deliver for our people. The UN is going through a period of renewal and transition. The good news is that our organization has already undertaken significant reforms over the past year. This work must continue this year and beyond. In a few months' time, a new Secretary-General will be at the helm. This is an opportunity to build on these efforts and accelerate the momentum for reform and renewal. At the same time, we must ensure that the Organization is well equipped to implement the decisions we adopt and deal with the many challenges ahead. The Fifth Committee has an important role to play in these reform efforts because a strong multilateral system must rest on equally strong financial foundations. In this regard, we wish to make the following points. First, the payment of assessed contributions is a Charter obligation. In an organization founded on the rule of law, the payment of assessed contribution must also be subject to the rule of law. When assessed contributions are not paid in full and on time, this organization will not be able to do what we have mandated it to do. We cannot create mandates without providing the resources needed to implement them. It is therefore the responsibility of all Member States to fulfill their financial obligations in full, on time, and without conditions. Second, we must spend wisely. Every dollar entrusted to the UN comes from its Member States. We have a responsibility to ensure that these resources are well spent. This requires us to examine existing systems and practices and find ways to make them more efficient and cost effective. We must cut down on duplication, waste and inefficiency. We have a collective responsibility to ensure that the resources of the UN are directed towards making an impact on the ground. ASEAN supports efforts under the UN80 initiative to streamline processes, reduce duplication and improve efficiency. Financial prudence is not about cutting for the sake of cutting. It is about making better use of limited resources with a clear focus on implementation, mandate delivery and impact on the ground. It also means getting our financial rules right. Earlier this year, the UN faced the prospect of returning credits arising from resources that have never been received and therefore could never have been spent. ASEAN therefore welcomes the agreement reached by the Fifth Committee in June on a revised methodology for the return of credits. Thirdly, we must focus on delivery and impact. This means we have to streamline bureaucracy, reduce layers and improve coherence and coordination. The purpose of the UN budget is not to sustain structures for their own sake. It is to deliver the mandates that member states have agreed. Reforms should reduce unnecessary administrative burdens and direct resources to where they can have the greatest impact. Mr. Chair, we have a substantial agenda before us. And ASEAN will engage constructively in our deliberations on the program budget, the UN common system, special political missions, construction and property management, and the subvention to the extraordinary chambers in the courts of Cambodia. As we begin our work, we must keep in mind that the committee's responsibility goes beyond numbers. A budget is ultimately a statement of what we expect the UN to do and whether we are prepared to give it the means to do so. Our task is not simply to spend more or to spend less, it is to spend better. Our goal is to build a UN that is efficient, financially sustainable and fit for purpose. Above all, our goal is to build a UN that delivers. ASEAN stands ready to work with all delegations towards this end and I have no doubt, Mr. Chair, that under your leadership, the work of this committee will be productive and successful. Thank you very much.


NGR · Chair [37:50]:

Thank you very much, Your Excellency. That is where we are taking notes, noted by the secretariat. We can't create a mandate without financial obligation. Thank you so much. That's quite interesting. May I give the floor now to His Excellency from Bahrain on behalf of the Cooperation Council of the Arab States. of the Gulf. Your Excellency, you have the floor.


Bahrain · GCC [38:21]:

Mr. Chairman, I have the honor to deliver the statement on behalf of the member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council, namely the United Arab Emirates, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Sultanate of Oman, the State of Qatar, the State of Kuwait, and my own country, the Kingdom of Bahrain. We wish to express the GCC states' support for the statement delivered by the representative of Uruguay on behalf of the G77 and China. Allow me to make the following statement. The GCC states welcome the President of the General Assembly at its 81st session and thank him for his valuable opening remarks. We also extend our congratulations and sincere appreciation to Nigeria for chairing the work of the committee during this session. We also congratulate the other members of the Bureau, wishing them success in the performance of their duties. I would also like to extend my sincere thanks to the Permanent Representative of Hungary, Chair of the Committee during the previous session, and the members of the Bureau for their efforts during the past session. The GCC states also expressed their sincere appreciation and gratitude for the efforts undertaken by the Secretariat of the Fifth Committee in facilitating the Committee's work and presenting a balanced programme of work. We also commend the ACABQ for providing the technical advice required on the agenda items before the Committee during this session. Mr. Chairman. The GCC states reaffirmed the importance of transparency during negotiations throughout the session and the role, legitimacy and effectiveness of the Fifth Committee as the main organ entrusted with administrative and budgetary matters. We also emphasized the critical importance of the technical role played by the Fifth Committee in supporting the implementation of the mandates of various UN bodies through the approval of the necessary and sufficient resources. The GCC States further stressed the importance of issuing relevant reports sufficiently in advance and in all official languages to facilitate consensus and the timely adoption of the Committee's decisions. Mr. Chairman. The GCC States have consistently remained among the Member States that fulfill their financial obligations in full and on time to the regular budget. Accordingly, the GCC States call for the payment of assessed contributions to the UN in full and on time in order to help address the recurring liquidity crisis that the Organization has faced in recent years. Mr. Chairman. the GCC states look forward to the discussions on the proposed program budget for 2027. In this regard, we underscore the importance of efficiency, effectiveness, and a spirit of consensus during the deliberations to ensure the adequate resources for the effective implementation of all mandates entrusted to the organization. This should be carried out in a manner consistent with the three pillars of the organization, namely the maintenance of international peace and security, protection of human rights, and the achievement of sustainable development, taking into account that the implementation of the next budget will fall under the responsibility of the new Secretary General and in accordance with the reforms of UN80 initiative. In conclusion, the GCC states reaffirm their firm commitment to collective and multilateral action under the umbrella of the United Nations. We reaffirm our support for all efforts aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of the organization and improving its working methods. We remain ready to participate constructively in discussions and deliberations to ensure the success of this session. The GCC states also look forward to a smooth transfer of the outcomes of the committee's work to the new Secretary-General upon the commencement of his duties in 2027. Thank you, Chair.


NGR · Chair [42:30]:

Thank you very much your excellency. We reminding us of the importance of issuance of all reports for the consideration of the excellencies in meetings like this. Thank you very much. I want to thank the GGC the CGC states for their on time, unscheduled payments of their deals. Thank you. We're very grateful indeed. I now give the floor to my colleagues, his excellency who we'll be picking on behalf of Gazzi State. And then of course, that is the His Excellency, the Parliamentary Representative, James Lesson of Australia. Your Excellency, you have the floor.


Australia · CANZ [43:19]:

Thank you. Thank you very much indeed, Chair. And I have the honor to speak on behalf of Canada, New Zealand, and my own country, Australia. First, let me congratulate you on assuming your responsibilities and convey our appreciation for the work of the Bureau and the Secretariat. And we welcome your pragmatic approach and will work with you to achieve a constructive and timely outcome. And I think none of us should consider spending Christmas here as a measure of success at all. Member states should be rightly proud of the meaningful reforms delivered through the Fifth Committee during the General Assembly's 80th session, including over 500 million US dollars in efficiencies and landmark financial reforms enabling the United Nations to retain approximately $1.2 billion. These reforms are not an exercise in budget cutting, but in strengthening the United Nations delivery ability for the millions who depend on it. Building on this progress, we must now determine where further change can enhance the UN's capability, accountability, and sustainability. As we consider the 2027 program budget, CANS will support continued efficiencies, reduced duplication, and stronger alignment between mandates, resources, and delivery. The Secretary-General's proposal provides a strong foundation. We support continued progress across all three UN80 work streams, including common administrative platforms, relocations guided by operational requirements and clear criteria, fewer senior management posts, and streamlining decision making and strengthening organizational effectiveness. We must also address the complexity in structures and mandates that have accumulated over time. The United Nations must be adequately resourced to deliver across all three pillars. This includes human rights mandates agreed by member states. The process of reform must extend beyond any single year or initiative. We will look to the incoming Secretary-General and Secretariat leadership to sustain efforts to enhance the Organization's efficiency and effectiveness, including through new technologies, reduced duplication, stronger coordination, and a focus on Member State priorities. We look forward to considering how the proposed 2028 programme budget can support further efficiencies and strengthen delivery. Our goal must ultimately be establishing a culture of continuous improvement. Chair, UN staff are the organization's most valuable asset. Human resources policies must sustain a skilled, diverse, and agile workforce while containing costs. We are disappointed that the International Civil Service Commission and the recommendations from the review of the common system compensation package did not fully respond to direction from the General Assembly at the 80th session. This Committee must pursue substantive reforms to modernize UN staff salaries and benefits while supporting financial sustainability. CAN supports a simpler, more sustainable travel framework that delivers value for money while enabling essential travel, including to small island developing states. The Resident Coordinator System is a critical part of the UN's ability to deliver. It requires predictable and sustainable financing, alongside reforms that strengthen coordination, responsiveness, and delivery on the ground. Strong oversight, accountability, and transparency are essential to build confidence and trust in our organization. CANs remains committed to preventing and combating sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment. Any streamlining of senior management structures must preserve the effectiveness, integrity, visibility and independence of these critical functions. Our commitment to efficiencies must also extend to our own working methods. The work of this committee is essential to the effective functioning of this organisation. but it is also time, resource, and labor intensive. CANS looks forward to working with you and all member states to complete our work in the most timely and resource efficient manner possible. Chair, the decisions we take at this session will determine whether reform gains become lasting change. We must deliver for those who rely on the UN and demonstrate sound stewardship of member state contributions. CANZ is committed to working with all Member States to deliver forward-looking outcomes that strengthen our United Nations. Thank you.


NGR · Chair [48:12]:

Thank you very much, Your Excellency. Thank you for that all-important speech, talking about the fact that Member States' priority must be addressed. And the fact that no one want to spend his December, and that's a good reminder. And we have to reduce duplication as all contained in SG statements. Thank you so much for that. May I give the floor to to speak on behalf of Africa Group. Your Excellency, you have the floor.


Djibouti · Africa Group [48:49]:

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the African Group. At the outset, the African Group congratulates you, Ambassador Jimoh, peer of Nigeria, on your election as chair of the Fifth Committee, as well as the other members of the Bureau. You may count on the full support and engagement of the African Group in the discharge of your responsibilities. The group also wishes to express its appreciation to Ambassador Susana Odvot of Hungary and the outgoing Bureau for the stewardship of the committee during the ATS sessions. We further thank the secretariat and the fifth committee secretariat in particular for their continued assistance. The African group aligns itself for the statement delivered by the permanent representative of Uruguay on behalf of the group of 77 and China and wishes to make the following additional remark. Mr. Chair, the main part of the 81st session began against the backdrop of an exceptionally demanding agenda. The Committee will be called upon to consider the proposed programme budget for 2027, programme planning, the financial situation of the Organization, special political mission, construction and property management, the common system, pension system, and a number of other important agenda items. Against this background, the African group underscored that the timely issuance of documentation in all six official languages is not merely procedural. It is an essential condition for the full and effective participation of all delegations, particularly smaller delegations. The group acknowledged the effort made to issue a significant portion of documentation ahead of the session. At the same time, we know that a number of important reports, including several reports of the Advisory Committee, remain outstanding or are expected to be issued after the commencement of our work. We therefore order the Secretariat to make every effort to ensure the earliest possible issuance of all outstanding documentation. Correspondingly, the program of work should provide delegation with sufficient time following the issuance of document to study them, coordinate with their respective group, and participate meaningfully in formal and informal deliberation. In this regard, the African group stressed that delays in documentation should not subsequently be compensated for by imposing compressed negotiating schedule upon member state. Mr. Chair, the African Group will attach particular importance for the consideration of the proposed program budget for 2027. Resources approved by the General Assembly must remain commensurate with the mandate entrusted to the organization and enable the full, effective, and timely implementation. In this context, the group reiterate the importance of preserving the integrity of the intergovernmental process. Any proposal aimed at improving efficiency, organizational performance, or resource utilization should be considered transparently by member states and should not prejudge decision that fall within the authority of the General Assembly. The African Group also attach great importance to program planning and to preserving the relationship between mandate, program priorities, and the resource required for the implementation. The African Group attach importance to the consideration of the Resident Coordinator System. The system is an integral component of the UN development pillar and plays an essential role in supporting developing countries, particularly African countries. in advancing the national development priorities and implementation of the 2030 agenda and African Union agenda 2063. Adequate, predictable and sustainable resources while preserving national ownership and development focusing in the system. The group will engage closely on the review of its funding and governance to ensure that the resident coordinate system is equipped to respond effectively to the needs and priorities of program countries. The group will pay particular attention to construction and property management matters, including statues of renovation of Africa Hall at the Economic Commission of Africa and the continued developments of the United Nations Office in Nairobi. The group will equally engage closely on the budget of special political mission. This mission remain an important instrument available to the international community for conflict prevention, mediation, peace building and the maintenance of international peace and security. They must therefore be provided with adequate, predictable and appropriate resources to implement the mandate established by Member States. In relation to the scale of assessment and the application of Article 19 of the Charter, the African Group reiterates the importance of ensuring that requests from Member States unable to fulfill their financial obligation due to conditions beyond their control are considered expeditiously and in accordance with the Charter and established procedure. Mr. Chair, the African Group is mindful that this committee operates most effectively when decisions are reached through dialogue, mutual respect, and consensus. We therefore encourage all delegations to approach this session with flexibility and with a genuine willingness to bridge differences. The African Group stands ready to engage constructively with you, the Bureau, and all negotiating partners. We will work in a spirit of cooperation and compromise toward balanced outcome that safeguard the priorities of member states and provide the United Nations with resources necessary to fulfill its mandate. We look forward to a productive session and to concluding our work within the time allocated to us. I thank you, Mr. Chair.


NGR · Chair [53:32]:

Thank you very much, Your Excellency, for speaking for Africa Group and, more importantly, reiterating the consignment for Nairobi office, as well as development of visibility and ready for dialogue. at all time and issuance of documents for our colleagues so that they can read them ahead of time before coming for meetings and I must thank the secretariat I think there are substantial improvements in this regard you can still do more so that we can get all the documents thank you so much your excellency may I give the floor to a very good friend his excellency brain wise and then he is from the the parliamentary for Jamaica your excellency is going to speak on behalf for Caricom, and I think he's here to speak. Your Excellency, you have the floor. Thank you.


Jamaica · CARICOM [54:21]:

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. I do have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the 14 member states of the Caribbean Community on the organization of the work of the Fifth Committee for the main part of the 81st session. Caricom aligns itself with the statement delivered by Uruguay on behalf of the Group of 77 and China. Chair, at the outset, allow me to extend CARICOM's congratulations to you on your election to the chairmanship of the Fifth Committee for the 81st session. We have every confidence in your ability to guide the Committee's work towards a timely and successful conclusion. We also extend our congratulations to the members of the Bureau and assure you of CARICOM's full support and cooperation as you lead us through this session. We also wish to pay some tribute to your predecessor, the Permanent Representative of Hungary, and to the members of her Bureau. Under her steady leadership, the Committee navigated a demanding 80th session and took far-reaching decisions on the resources and structure of the Organization. CARICOM conveys its appreciation to the ACABQ for the expertise and recommendations that inform our deliberations. We also thank the hardworking Fifth Committee Secretariat for the continued support, technical advice and guidance. Chair Karicom reaffirms the central role of the Fifth Committee as the sole main committee entrusted with administrative and budgetary matters. We emphasize that the Committee's work must be conducted in a transparent, inclusive, and efficient manner, fully respecting the mandate conferred on us by the General Assembly. This session opens as the Organization continues to implement the UN80 initiative. CARICOM remains engaged in efforts to make the UN more effective and efficient. Reform, however, must be guided by mandates and by the needs of the countries the organization serves, and cannot be driven by liquidity constraints alone. The proposed program budget for 2027 will therefore be a central priority for our group. CARICOM will closely examine its implications for mandate delivery, particularly within the development pillar, and for programs of importance to small island developing states. CARICOM will also pay particular attention to special political missions. These missions carry out mandates of direct consequence for peace and stability, including in our region. CARICOM attaches great importance to the UN Integrated Office in Haiti, and we will work to ensure that BINUH and other missions receive the resources they need to deliver on their mandates. The financing of the Resident Coordinator System is another key priority. CARICOM attaches considerable importance to effective coordination of the UN development system and to country-level support that responds to national priorities. We look forward to examining the proposals before the Committee with particular attention to adequate, predictable and sustainable financing. Chair, the timely issuance of documentation, including reports of the Secretary-General and the ACABQ, is essential to informed deliberations and meaningful participation. This is especially important for small delegations managing a demanding agenda. We encourage an organization of work that allows adequate time for preparation and consultations and facilitates the participation of all delegations. CARICOM stands ready to engage constructively across the committee's agenda. We look forward to working closely with you, the Bureau, and all partners in a spirit of cooperation and compromise to achieve balanced outcomes and conclude our work within the agreed timeframe. I thank you, Chair.


NGR · Chair [58:13]:

Thank you very much, Your Excellency. I think we've reiterated the importance of documentation supply as a premise for participation. Thank you for that excellent speech and timely conclusion. And I also want to thank you for appreciating the effort of my predecessor, Mr. Sider, or Her Excellency of Hungary, for doing a very good job last year, a premise back which we base our foundation today. Thank you so much. We hold our lot. May I give the floor to His Excellency from Dominican Republic are willing to have the floor. You have the floor.


Dominican Republic [59:01]:

Thank you, Chairman. My delegation associates itself with the statement delivered by Uruguay on behalf of the Group of 77 and China. On behalf of the Dominican Republic, Chair, I am pleased to express our congratulations and thanks to you for assuming the leadership of this Committee, and we reiterate to you our full readiness to contribute constructively in its work during this 81st session. We also extend our thanks to the Secretariat, the Advisory Committee and the other bodies that support the work of this Committee for their continued dedication. We're happy to note that on this occasion, a considerable number of reports have been published earlier, facilitating thereby the preparation of delegations and the timely consideration of agenda items. We encourage the Secretariat to continue making progress in this direction, to issue the remaining reports as soon as possible, and to ensure that all of them are made available in a timely manner in the six official languages of the Organization, in keeping with the principle of multilingualism. During the next three months, we will have before us a broad and substantive agenda, led by the proposed programme budget for 2027. We will also consider the Organization's financial reports, the financing of special political missions, the Resident Coordinator system, programme planning, the common system, pensions, internal oversight, and other administrative and budgetary matters essential to the implementation of mandates. In this regard, Chair, the work of the Fifth Committee assumes particular importance in the context of the transformation efforts currently underway, including the UN80 process. At a time when multilateralism faces significant challenges and the United Nations is experiencing a complex financial situation, strengthening the organization's capacity and restoring confidence in it requires ensuring a solid and predictable financial foundation. In this regard, we call upon all Member States to meet their assessed contributions fully and on time, in accordance with their obligations, so that the Organization may effectively carry out the mandates that we have collectively entrusted to it. We conclude by reaffirming the Dominican Republic's firm commitment to contributing constructively to this process and to working with all delegations toward a United Nations that is financially sounder, more efficient, and better equipped to respond to the challenges of our time. Thank you very much, Chair.


NGR · Chair [1:01:51]:

Thank you so much, Your Excellency. We do appreciate your speech. Thank you for that brilliant speech you delivered. I now want to give the floor to His Excellency Ali Mohamed, the Permanent Representative, to speak for Maldives. Your Excellency, you have the floor.


Maldives · Permanent Representative [1:02:13]:

Thank you, Chair. The Maldives aligns itself with the statement delivered by Uruguay on behalf of the Group of 27 and China. The Maldives congratulates you and the Bureau on your election. We also express our appreciation to the Fifth Committee Secretariat for their unwavering support. This session comes at an important juncture. The timely conclusion of work will be essential to ensure the orderly adoption of the implementation of the 2027 budget, while providing for a smooth transition from one administration to the next. The Maldives welcomes the action taken to address the return of credit issue. It should help ease recurring liquidity constraints. But lastly, financial stability will depend on the timely, full, and unconditional payment of assessed contribution. Financial pressure must not leave agreed mandates without resources required for their effective implementation. The 2027 budget brings UNAT into its next phase. The model supports efficiency that strengthens every member state's capacity to shape its future and access the UN system meaningfully. This applies equally to the Resident Coordinator System. Stronger regional expertise and flexible support can add value and must implement meaningful in-country presence. For CIDS, the UN should strengthen national capacity and ownership so countries can better determine and deliver their own development priorities. Efficiency must not become retreat. The Moldis will therefore pay close attention to the proposed program budget, revised estimates, the financial institutions of the UN and the resourcing of the Resident Coordinator System. Mandates related to SIDS must receive adequate and predictable resource for effective implementation. Finally, timely documentation and predictable scheduling are essential to the effective participation. For small delegations, late documents and shifting schedule directly limits our substantive engagement. The Maldives will engage constructively throughout the session towards a timely, balanced, and responsible outcome. I thank you.


NGR · Chair [1:04:32]:

Thank you very much, Your Excellency, for your speech. And I give the floor to Member of Parliament who will be giving this speech on behalf of Ethiopia, Dr. Guma Rami. You are welcome, and the floor is for you. Thank you.


India [1:04:50]:

At the outset, I kindly accept the congratulations of my delegation on your election as the chairman of Fifth Committee. We also extend our felicitations to other members of the Bureau on their election. I assure you of my delegation's fullest cooperation to the Committee's work. We extend our sincere appreciation to the previous Chair, her team, and the outgoing Bureau, as well as the Fifth Committee Secretariat and the Chair and the members of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions for their work. India aligns with the statement made by Uruguay. on behalf of the group of 77 we would like to make the following remarks in our national capacity Mr chair we recognize significant outcomes achieved during the 18th session of the committee including the return of credit methodology and the revised budget of 2026 as a part of un80 initiative preserving the prerogatives of the committee for program and coordination and ACA BQ is in instructive to the work of fifth committee. It is important for the program planning must be continued to guide the allocation of the resources. We, however, note with concern the outcomes of the CPC at its 65th session, where consensus could not be reached on any of the programs. We hope the reform agenda will be continued during this session in full compliance with established budgetary processes and practice, and will further strengthen the intergovernmental nature of the UN. Mr Chair, our deliberations on the reform proposals must ensure adequate financial resources for the UN to fulfil its mandates and to produce the greatest impact on the ground. We will continue to pay close attention to the appropriation of resources, particularly the UN's developmental pillar, which needs adequate funding. Additionally, essentials generated from the UN's initiative should be utilized for strengthening the developmental pillar of the organization. We also stress the importance of consensual outcomes of the committee's work, with the full respect of equal opportunities to all member states. It is also important, sir, to emphasize the payment assist contributions in full, on time, and without preconditions. It is a legal obligation to all member states. Finally, Mr. Chair, we assure you of our full support towards timely conclusion of the committee's work. I thank you for giving me the opportunity.


NGR · Chair [1:07:39]:

Thank you very much, Your Excellency. We keep retreating credit methodology. Our experts are here, and they will do justice to that, I can assure you. Thank you for the speech. May I now give the floor to Her Excellency, the Deputy Permanent Representative of Mexico, Her Excellency, Jennifer Kettering. You have the floor, Your Excellency.


Mexico · Deputy Permanent Representative [1:08:04]:

Thank you very much, Chair. We join in the congratulations on your election to chair the committee, and we trust that, under your leadership, we will be able to move forward efficiently in order to conclude in a timely manner the important agenda of this session. We need to give the Organization resources at a time when we're seeing a change in leadership of the Secretary-General. For Mexico, the 2027 budget must support this period of organizational transition and consolidate the reform being advanced within the framework of the UNAT initiative. It's fundamental that the reform advance in a comprehensive manner across its three work streams and not focus exclusively on the rationalization of resources, since this would limit its scope and overlook the structural changes and adjustments necessary to strengthen the functioning of the United Nations. Allow me to underscore five priorities for my delegation. First, I would highlight the proposed 2027 program budget. For Mexico, it's important to approve a realistic and balanced budget that reflects the ongoing reform efforts, such as common administrative platforms, as well as proposals aimed at reducing the number of senior management positions. Likewise, my delegation will work to allocate appropriate resources to other priority areas, such as human rights. Secondly, the budgets envisaged for the special political missions are of particular importance for my country. In recognition of their fundamental role in conflict prevention and mediation, my delegation will pay particular attention to missions deployed in Latin America and the Caribbean, especially in Haiti and Colombia, as well as to those missions whose mandates have undergone changes. Thirdly, with regard to the resources required for major construction projects, Mexico will follow the project at the UN Office in Nairobi because of its strategic relevance and its importance for the UN presence in the Global South. We are also committed to the successful completion of the project of ECLAC in Santiago, Chile. Fourth, my delegation will analyze in detail the new proposal for the governance of the Resident Coordinator System. with the aim of moving towards a more coherent system with adequate yet differentiated financing, since it's not possible to create a system financed in the same manner in all countries where UN agencies and offices are present. Fifth, regarding the United Nations common system. My delegation will closely follow the comprehensive review of the compensation package. Mexico values the contribution made by United Nations personnel. Finally, with regard to working methods, my delegation expresses the hope that the final decisions adopted during the current session will be reached within the established deadlines. We will participate in these negotiations in a constructive manner with a firm commitment to strengthening this organization during this period of transition and reform. Thank you very much, Chair.


NGR · Chair [1:11:02]:

Thank you very much, Ms. Zico, for that, Your Excellency, for that statement. We will now give the floor to the Deputy Permanent Representative of Saudi Arabia, His Excellency Faris Al-Tawee. You have the floor, Your Excellency.


Saudi Arabia · Deputy Permanent Representative [1:11:20]:

Thank you, Mr. President.

Seyedeh Rais.

Mr. Chair, it is my honor to deliver the statement on behalf of my country, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, on the organization of work of the Fifth Committee during this main part the 81st session of the General Assembly. At the outset, we would like to congratulate you, Your Excellency, Ambassador Ibrahim Taimov, for presiding over the Committee. We would also like to congratulate the Bureau. We assure you of our support to ensure the success of the Committee. We also appreciate the work of Her Excellency, the previous Ambassador, and the Bureau for their efforts during the 80th session. We would like to thank the Secretariat of the Committee and the ACA for their continuous support. We would like to express our alignment to the statement of Bahrain on behalf of the GCC states, as well as the statement of Uruguay on behalf of the G77 and China, Mr. Chair. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia attaches a great importance to the good organization of the work of the Committee. We stress the need to issue documents on time and in all six official languages, which will allow the Member States enough time to study all agenda items and coordinate our stances. Any amendment of the organization of work or work program must come through a negotiation and deliberation with the Member States. We stress the vital role of the Fifth Committee, since it is the main committee entrusted with the administrative and budgetary matters. Ensuring efficiency requires an enhancement of management and working methods. It should not weaken the ability of the organization to implement the priorities mandated by member states. Moreover, the appropriation of resources must be underpinned on clear needs, priorities, and the methods of work of the organization. We stress the need for a geographical representation to ensure effective diversification and representation of member states and ensure credibility. We also refer to the importance of promoting monitoring and accountability and to follow the work of the Internal Oversight Office and other monitoring and supervisory bodies and implement their recommendations in line with the adopted procedures. To conclude, the Kingdom stresses once again its full commitment to continue our constructive work with a spirit of cooperation with all Member States to ensure coordination and advance our collective work to ensure the desired outcome that will good for everyone. Thank you.


NGR · Chair [1:14:23]:

Thank you very much, Your Excellencies. The points are same as other speakers, and I'm sure that they are well taken note of. Thank you for that speech. My great privilege to have a friend, His Excellency Jeff Bratton of the United States of America to have the floor to deliver his speech. Your Excellency, you have the floor.


United States of America [1:14:49]:

Thank you. And first, Ambassador Ibrahim, congratulations on taking up your role as chair. We all look forward to working with you and together over the coming months and year. And colleagues, one year ago, I sat in this room and declared that the era of business as usual at the United Nations was over. And while, for 80 years, strong statements at the UN too often did not lead to concrete action, this time was different. With U.S. leadership, we came together to achieve historic reforms that no one a year ago thought was possible, and we did it by consensus. The Secretary-General's proposed 2027 regular budget reflects a 4.3% decrease, over 147 million, building on the momentum of last year's reforms. While we acknowledge this continued progress, we must do even more. Reform cannot stop at posts and budget lines. Elimination of duplicative functions must become routine practice, not a one-time exercise. Nor can reform stop at the working level. The proliferation of senior leadership positions across the Secretariat and its missions has not been adequately addressed. The United States will insist on a genuine reduction in senior level staff, not a paper exercise that preserves top heavy management structures while junior posts absorb the cuts. On staff compensation and benefits, the Fifth Committee must bring UN salaries in line with common sense. UN professional staff in New York currently earn an average of 17% more than their US civil service counterparts after a generous cost of living adjustment. However, the most senior staff received the largest premium, with D2s receiving 24% more than their U.S. counterparts, compared to 14% for P2s. This demands both an immediate reduction to the margin and adjustment to the methodology consistent with workforce rejuvenation efforts. We will propose these changes in this session, rather than waiting until 2028. We will also propose capping child allowance and education grant eligibility at three children, eliminating the tertiary education benefit, and eliminating the mobility incentive and secondary dependents allowance outright. No major national civil service directly subsidizes tertiary education costs or provides equivalent cash allowances for secondary dependents. The United States will also call for a ban on business class travel across the Secretariat, and Lord knows how the UN loves its business class travel. This institution must cease tolerating travel practices that would be indefensible in any fiscally responsible public or private institution. Finally, the United States has concerns regarding funding of the RC system. As a major voluntary donor to the RC system, we have long argued that the system must be right-sized. Surely, RCs in middle and high-income countries do not need to be funded through the regular budget. Colleagues, the United States remains, by a wide margin, the largest funder of the United Nations. We expect a return on that investment measured in outcomes, not intentions. Collectively, our work over the past 12 months proved that consequential reform is possible. This main session must prove that it is durable. We look forward to working with all Member States who share the vision of getting the UN back to basics by doing less, doing it better, delivering impact on the ground, and respecting the taxpayers who fund this work. I thank you.


NGR · Chair [1:18:29]:

Thank you very much for that speech from the United States of America. You've reiterated the fact that the top level of the UN is heavy, and that speech wanted to downsize its intendment. with the speech delivered by His Excellency from Mexico about the top level of the UN, the RSC system to be equitable, and the fact that you also want reforms to not to be one bus stop. to be continuous and the ban of business class and all that. I'm sure our experts will take all these debates up and disparity in salary between the UN staff and the United States staff at 17% and what more we can do to ensure efficiency and effectiveness of the United Nations, particularly when you look at 1947 agreement between UN and the United States. Thank you very much for that, sir, most important speech. We'll now give the floor to the next person, Israel. We'll give the floor to His Excellency from the delegates from Israel. Your Excellency, you have the floor. Thank you.


Israel [1:19:46]:

Thank you, Chair, for giving the floor. First, I would like to congratulate you on your appointment and wish you and the members of the Bureau every success throughout the 81st session. Also, we want to thank our previous Bureau members on their dedicated work on the 80th session. I would like also to express our appreciation to the Secretariat for its continued dedication and support for the work of the Committee. Chair, UN80 cannot mark the end of the spirit of efficiency and reform within the United Nations. That commitment must continue beyond any single reform initiative and be reflected in the way this organization set its priorities Allocating resources, carry out its mandate and modernize the tools and technologies it uses. The budget must remain a tool for advancing the purpose for which the United Nations was created. Efficiency must also be reflected in discipline, budgetary discipline, mandate discipline and procedural discipline. The Fifth Committee and the bodies that support its work must lead by example, ensuring that resources are used responsibly and duplication are minimized. Chair, transparency, equal treatment and strong oversight are essential to the credibility of this organization. Rules must be applied consistently and impartially, while Member States must have access to timely, complete and reliable information to exercise effective oversight to the organization and the resources entrusted to it. My delegation remains deeply concerned by the persistence of sexual exploitation and abuse across the system and reiterates the importance of upholding a zero-tolerance approach. While this issue is primarily considered in the context of peacekeeping during the second resumed session, it extends far beyond peacekeeping and requires a system-wide response. That response must include transparency, effective oversight, safeguards against retaliation, and dedicated independent mechanism capable of maintaining a clear and sustained focus of the rights of victim within the organization. We will continue to encourage the committee to consider resolution addressing sexual exploitation and abuse across the United Nations system. This issue extends far beyond any single agenda item or resolution. It goes to the integrity and credibility of the organization. Chair, my delegation remains committed to preserving the spirit throughout the session and to engage actively, transparently, and in good faith from the beginning to the end. Thank you, Chair.


NGR · Chair [1:22:42]:

Thank you very much, Your Excellency. I think that's well-presented statement, which is in tandem with what His Excellency Jeff of the United States talked about, strong oversight, budget, more of the tool of efficiency and effectiveness, and as the U.S. said, not business as usual. Thank you so much for that current statement. I now give the floor to the delegation from Rwanda. Your Excellency, you have the floor.


Rwanda [1:23:16]:

Mr. Chair, thank you for giving me the floor. Allow me at the outset to first congratulate you on your election as the Chair of the Fifth Committee. Together with other members of the Bureau, you can count on Rwanda's full cooperation as you guide us through a very demanding main session. I also wish to recognize Ambassador Susan Hovath, Permanent Representative of Hungary and outgoing Bureau, for their stewardship of the Committee during the 80th session. We equally thank the Secretariat and Advisory Committee for their valuable support toward deliberation. Rwanda lines itself with a statement delivered on behalf of the Group of 77 and China and the African Group, and I wish to add a few remarks in our national capacity. Mr. Chair and colleagues, the organization of our work matters. A successful session should be measured by whether our decisions leave the organization better able to implement its mandates with greater efficiency and accountability in the use of resources. This is particularly important as the United Nations continues to pursue reforms intended to make the organization more agile, eliminate duplications, and direct resources where they can have the greatest impact. These objectives should inform our consideration for the 2027 program budget and the broader reform agenda. Rwanda Delafour supports a program of work that combines thorough consideration with this pre-necessary to conclude our work on time. In this regard, and as I mentioned, timely documentation, predictable scheduling, and sufficient space for negotiations will be essential. As we consider the proposed program budget for 2027 and other administrative and budgetary matters, Rwanda will be guided by a simple principle. Resources must follow mandates, but resources must also produce results. Efficiency should not mean indiscriminate reductions, just as additional resources cannot substitute sound management, effective oversight, and accountability. This balance will be important across our agenda, including the financing for Resident Coordinator system, special political missions, and the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals, issues to which Rwanda attaches great importance. Mr. Chair, the Fifth Committee is where many of these mandates agreed elsewhere in this Organization are ultimately given the means to succeed. Our responsibility therefore goes beyond negotiating figures, but also ensuring that the resources, structure and accountability arrangements behind those figures remains fit for purpose. To conclude, Rwanda looks forward to working constructively with you, the Bureau, and all delegations, with flexibility necessary to reach consensus and conclude our work on time. I thank you.


NGR · Chair [1:25:48]:

Thank you very much, Rwanda, for that statement made. I will now give the floor to His Excellency, the Deputy Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation, Dmitry Chicago, who is here and will deliver the speech for Russia. Your Excellency, you have the floor, sir.


Russian Federation · Deputy Permanent Representative [1:26:14]:

Distinguished Chair, first of all, I would like to congratulate you on your election to chair the Fifth Committee. We wish you, your team, and your bureau every success. We'd also like to thank the ACABQ, whose reports are a key part of our work. We'd also like to thank the secretariat of the Fifth Committee who provides us with valuable support at our meetings. Our warm greetings also to the representatives of all delegations. According to our calculations, the Fifth Committee will discuss more than 30 draft resolutions and decisions. This is a significant amount. The Secretary General needs to therefore provide timely issuance of documents in all six official languages. Having reports translated in good time is of great help to our consultations. We anticipate that the bulk of the Committee's time will be spent on considering the most complex agenda item, the 2027 proposed programme budget. The UN 80 initiative should not only apply to reviewing resource requirements in the budget. Budget proposals should be assessed also from the point of view of their contribution to achieving the aims of the General Assembly Resolution 79/318, i.e. eradicating duplication, and increasing the effectiveness of the work of the organisation while ensuring full implementation of established mandates. We plan on paying particular attention to the funding of the resident coordinator system. The proposed changes to the funding model and staffing structure require careful justification. Increasing the burden on the regular budget must be accompanied by clear explanations of the anticipated outcomes, measurable indicators for results, and specific concrete measures to eradicate duplication and increasing the effectiveness of resources used. We expect that the proposal will be underpinned by General Assembly resolution 79/258's analysis for each and every office of the resident coordinator in every country. We also attach great importance to the agenda item on the UN common system. and decisions on compensation and conditions of service must be balanced, underpinned by comprehensive analysis and recommendations from the ICSC, and should take into account the financial impacts of Member States and also the need to ensure the effective work of our organisation. We trust that negotiations will be as transparent as possible and all interested delegations will be able to take part. It's important the Fifth Committee continues to fully stick to its own working methods. In conclusion, I'd like to assure you that the Russian Federation is ready to constructively participate in negotiations on all agenda items. We hope that this year the Fifth Committee will manage to conclude its work within the time frames that the Bureau will establish, and that it will hear calls from the President of the General Assembly, who wants to celebrate Christmas, not at the Fifth Committee. Thanks very much.


NGR · Chair [1:29:44]:

Thank you very much, Your Excellency. You are absolutely right. We want to celebrate Christmas at home, not in the office. Thank you. I will now give the floor to His Excellency, the Deputy Permanent Representative of Japan, His Excellency, to have the floor. Your Excellency, you have the floor.


Japan · Deputy Permanent Representative [1:30:05]:

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Let me begin by congratulating you, Mr. Chair, and other new members.

Of the Bureau for assuming the important roles.

I would like to assure you of our full support and cooperation. I'd also like to express our sincere appreciation to the outgoing Chair, Ambassador Horvath of Hungary, and other outgoing Bureau members. The last session was an exceptionally demanding one with UNHCR reform underway and the refugee crisis before us. We are truly grateful for their patience, commitment, and leadership in steering committees.

We also appreciate the Secretariat for their valuable support.

Mr. Chair, as we begin another intensive two months of work, I would like to highlight two priorities. First, we must sustain the momentum of reform. As many of my previous speakers stated, the UN should not be treated as a one-off exercise. We are already seeing results across the work streams.

With the new SGs taking office in the new year, it will be particularly important to preserve what has been achieved and carry this work forward, as reform should be a continuing process. of improvement.

Second, we must discharge our own responsibilities in a timely manner.

Last year, we concluded this main session only on December 30th.

That created serious uncertainty for those expected to continue delivering activities on the ground from the first.

Day of this year.

This Committee has a responsibility not only to reach agreement, but to provide clear and timely guidance so that the UN can continue to implement its mandates without unnecessary uncertainty and disruption. Mr. Chair, we attach great importance to consensus-based decision-making. Consensus takes time. It requires us to listen to one another negotiate in good faith and bridge our differences. That is why we should use the time before us wisely, keep our negotiations focused, and work sincerely to find the common ground. We are committed to doing our part and engaging constructively with all delegations. If we all approach the negotiations in this spirit, I believe we can reach agreement by mid-December and give the UN the needed guidance in a timely manner. We look forward to working closely with you and with all delegations in the coming months. I thank you, Mr. Chair.


NGR · Chair [1:33:23]:

Thank you very much, Your Excellency, for your statement on behalf of Japan. I think the point made to were iterated several times. We need to complete on time and on time on schedule and refrain from reform should be continuous process. That's have been also said and agreed by member countries today. I'll now give the floor to His Excellency, the Ambassador of the United Kingdom. Your Excellency, you have the floor.


United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland · Ambassador [1:34:02]:

Thank you, chair. I congratulate you and the bureau on your appointments. You can count on the full support of the United Kingdom as you guide the committee towards timely, ambitious and consensus-based outcomes. We begin the 81st session after a year of significant achievement, and we recognise the work of the previous chair and bureau in driving it forward. June's agreement on a revised credits methodology demonstrated what constructive engagement can deliver. We urge all members to bring that same spirit to our work, transforming and translating reform commitments into concrete results that strengthen our delivery on the ground. During this main session, the UK will press for practical reforms that improve the UN's effectiveness, sharpen accountability, and deliver value for money. All of this can help strengthen the UN's positive impact for people across the world. We will focus on three priorities. Firstly, the regular budget. Last year, this committee endorsed the UN80 agenda through the revised estimate. Reform, however, requires sustained effort. We welcome its continuation in the 2027 budget and look forward to further proposals, including to reduce senior posts in 2028. Second, the Resident Coordinator system. An empowered RC system is essential to a coherent UN development system. We will assess the proposals against the need for sustainable and predictable funding underpinned by strong accountability. Third, the common system. The Committee will consider the comprehensive review and recommendations on the noble mayor principle. This is a significant opportunity to secure a modern, fair and sustainable compensation package. Across these priorities, our work should reflect the principles agreed in resolution 80/251. Reporting should be streamlined, duplication reduced, and new proposals accompanied by early indicative financial implications. Mandate discipline and budget discipline must go hand in hand. We encourage the secretariat and bureau to set out how the Fifth Committee will take this work forward. Chair, the 80th session may be over, but the work of UN80 is not. By bringing the same spirit of constructive cooperation to the session ahead, this committee can translate reform commitments into concrete results, maintaining momentum, exercising budget discipline, and concluding its work on time. In doing so, we can give the incoming Secretary-General and their team the strongest possible foundation to deliver the positive impact for people across the world. Thank you.


NGR · Chair [1:36:57]:

Thank you very much, Your Excellency, for the great points made. We must conclude timely. And of course, reform must be sustainable. Question of accountability. And then there were also points made by Japan, Russia, and the US. And then, of course, budget discipline, which is reiterated over and over again. And the ROC system, which keep reoccurring. I want to thank you very much for making us to understand those points. And I can assure you, the excellencies, the experts, are here listening to you, and they will do justice to most of this. And I do believe that many of you are in tandem with our belief that we will finish on time. Thank you. May I give His Excellency, the Permanent Representative of Armenia, to the floor to deliver his speech. Your Excellency, you have the floor.


Armenia · Permanent Representative [1:38:00]:

Thank you, Mr. Chair. At the outset, I would like to express our appreciation to the previous chair of the committee, Ambassador Horvath, for her leadership and dedication throughout the 80th GA session. I also congratulate you, Ambassador Ibrahim, on your election and wish you and the Bureau every success. As the UN faces a liquidity crisis and undertakes essential reforms, we must ensure that the organization is adequately resourced and equipped to meet present and future challenges. In this context, we reaffirm Armenia's commitment to meeting its financial obligation to the Organization. I am very pleased to note that this year Armenia was the first Member State to pay its regular budget assessment, making its payment on 9 January, within the 30-day period established under the Financial Regulations. Armenia has a long-standing record of paying its assessed contributions in full and on time, and we regard these contributions as an investment in the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and in the organization's capacity to deliver. This reflects our firm commitment to the UN and to the principle of collective responsibility for ensuring the organization's financial stability. Predictable financing is essential for effective planning and the uninterrupted implementation of mandates. Armenia believes that a financially sustainable United Nations requires not only the timely payment of assessed contributions, but also responsible, transparent and efficient management of the resources entrusted to the organization. We recognize the importance of the ongoing efforts to make the UN more effective, agile and efficient including through the UN 80 initiative. At the same time, efficiency should go hand in hand with ensuring the organization's capacity to effectively implement its mandates and respond to the diverse needs of the member states. Reform should be guided by clear objectives, evidence based analysis and transparent consultation with member states, with improved delivery as its central purpose. As both a middle-income and landlocked country, Armenia attaches particular importance to ensuring that budgetary and reform discussions preserve the organization's capacity to respond to the specific circumstances and development needs of countries such as ours. Mr. Chair, Armenia remains committed to constructive engagement within the Fifth Committee. We look forward to working with all delegations to advance a United Nations that is financially sustainable, accountable, efficient, and capable of effectively implementing the mandates entrusted to it by member states. I thank you.


NGR · Chair [1:40:53]:

Thank you very much for your statement. And I'm sure the Secretary-General has taken very good notice of that. Reform must be evidence-based. Of course, that should be. We must have the data. Thank you so much for the speech. We will now give the floor to the United Arab Emirates. Your Excellency, you have the floor.


United Arab Emirates [1:41:23]:

Mr. Chair, the United Arab Emirates congratulates you on assuming the chairmanship of the Fifth Committee. and wish you every success in guiding this committee's work through constructive discussions. We express our appreciation to the Permanent Representative of Hungary for her valuable efforts during the previous session. We also commend the Bureau, coordinators, and secretariat for their efforts in supporting the committee's work. My delegation aligns itself with the statements delivered by the Republic of Uruguay on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, and with the statement of the Kingdom of Bahrain on behalf of the Gulf Cooperation Council. Additionally, we would like to make the following remarks in our national capacity. Mr. Chair. The United Nations is operating in a complex environment and its ability to respond effectively requires, among other things, a sustainable financial foundation. In this regard, the work of the Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Matters remains crucial to ensuring that the resources entrusted by Member States translate into tangible results. The UAE looks forward to engaging on the Committee's discussions, in particular, the proposed programme budget for 2027. We further underscore the importance of adequate and sustainable resources for peacekeeping operations and the special political missions in line with their respective mandates. Moreover, we attach importance to equitable, geographical representation while upholding the high highest standards of integrity and accountability Mr chair the UAE emphasizes the importance of the committee's work in building momentum for the unat initiative while ensuring that the reform process remains Guided by the mandates and decisions agreed upon by member states we also support innovation and the responsible use of AI to enhance the efficiency of the UN operations. In conclusion, we remain committed to working collectively towards outcomes that contribute to the financial health of the UN and further strengthen the organization's capacity to deliver on its mandates. Thank you.


NGR · Chair [1:44:23]:

Thank you very much, Your Excellency. May I give the floor to China to deliver a statement. Your Excellency, you have the floor.


China [1:44:34]:

Chair, first, I congratulate you on your election as Chair of the Fifth Committee of the 81st session of the GA. China assures you of its full support as you carry out your work. We thank the Bureau of the Fifth Committee, the ECBQ, and the Secretariat for their preparations for this session. China aligns itself with the statement made by Uruguay on behalf of the Group of 77 China, and wishes to emphasize the following three points. First, amid a complex and intertwined international landscape, upholding and practicing multilateralism and reforming and improving the global governance system have become a common expectation of the international community. China firmly upholds the international system with the UN at its core and is committed to building a community with a shared future for mankind. China stands ready to advance the Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative, Global Civilization Initiative, and Global Governance Initiative, and to contribute further to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. Second, finance is the foundation and an important pillar of UN governance. All countries should demonstrate their support for the UN through concrete actions, fully meet their financial obligations and ensure the fulfilment of the organization's mandates. In June this year, the Fifth Committee achieved positive results in revising the mechanism for the return of credits. But it's important to emphasize that the prolonged arrears of the largest assessed contributor are the main cause of the liquidity crisis. We urge the country concerned to faithfully fulfill its financial obligations and pay its assessed contributions and peacekeeping assessments in full and without conditions. All parties should work together to ensure that the gains of the UNAD initiative continue to be strengthened. We should continue to exercise strict economy, reduce formalism and bureaucracy, foster a culture of efficiency throughout all processes, strengthen performance management, optimize resource allocation, enforce fiscal discipline, ensure oversight and accountability, and take concrete steps to implement the recommendations of the Board of Auditors and other relevant bodies. Third. Program planning and budget preparation must always remain member state driven. All parties should support the role of the Committee for Program Coordination in reviewing program plans. And the main committees should also attach importance to enhancing the effectiveness and transparency of program planning. The program budget should maintain a reasonable scale and the balance of three pillars of peace and security, development, and human rights. More practical measures should be taken in human resources management to ensure adequate representation of developing countries in the UN Secretariat. Chair, this main session has a heavy workload and will also consider many important issues, including the Peacebuilding Fund and the Resident Coordinator system. China stands ready to participate constructively in the deliberations on all agenda items and to join efforts in ensuring their completion as scheduled. Thank you, Mr. Chair.


NGR · Chair [1:47:49]:

Thank you very much, Your Excellency, for your speech, reiterating that finance is important and member countries should fulfill their obligation and adequate representation of developing countries in the Secretariat. Thank you so much. I will now pass the floor to His Excellency, the Permanent Representative of the Philippines, to have the floor. Your Excellency, you have the floor.


Philippines · Permanent Representative [1:48:14]:

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

And first, let me congratulate you and the members of the Bureau for your election. You can count on our support and cooperation.

The Philippines aligns itself with the Singapore statement on behalf of ASEAN and with the Uruguay

statement on behalf of the G77 and China.

I wish to highlight the following in our national capacity.

First, we should build on the momentum and lessons generated by the UNAD initiative.

Efficiency should be pursued through more effective and strategic use of available resources, not only through reductions.

The budget should also remain responsive to the needs of member states. The UN development system and the delivery of services and support to developing countries, including the middle-income countries, are essential

aspects of what the UN is on the ground for.

We are concerned that in an effort to consolidate reform, the ability of the UN system to deliver development cooperation and expertise may be impaired. In this spirit, reform must always be mindful that behind every metric and policy discussion are people.

To this end, we believe that approved mandates should be adequately funded.

Secondly, maintaining the fiscal health and integrity of the Organization lies with Member States.

We therefore call on Member States to fulfill their contributions in full, on time, and without conditions.

The Philippines will endeavor to continue paying its regular budget contribution within the 30-day period specified by UN Financial Regulations.

Thirdly, we commend the landmark decision to end the practice of credit returns.

We encourage Member States as well as the Secretariat to support discussions aimed at identifying

other approaches to help address the liquidity crisis.

The adoption of multi-year lump sum payments for specific accounts as well as comprehensive review of existing resource mobilization mechanisms for both regular and

extra budgetary resources could be explored in this regard.

Lastly, the Fifth Committee must continue contributing towards advancing a more efficient, equitable and impactful United Nations.

We therefore continue to expect more tangible progress in ensuring equitable geographic representation in the Secretariat, especially in senior leadership and management positions.

Thank you very much.


Chair [1:50:38]:

Thank you very much, Your Excellency, for that important statement in part for United Nations. Budgets should be responsive to the need of member states. I want to give the floor now to His Excellency, the representative of the delegation of Korea. I think the permanent representative is right here to deliver the statement. Your Excellency, you have the floor.


Republic of Korea · Permanent Representative [1:51:08]:

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Let me begin by congratulating you and the members of the Bureau on your appointment.

We are confident that under your able leadership, this committee will successfully advance its work and bring the session to a successful conclusion.

Mr. Chair, the United Nations is undergoing a period of transition in many respects. As my President noted in his national statement, the United Nations must evolve with times. It must remain capable of addressing contemporary challenges and at the same time work to restore trust in multilateralism. With this, allow me to highlight the priorities of my delegation for this session. First, we must continue to make the UN more efficient, effective, and people purpose. To end this, It is important to sustain the momentum of the UNAD initiatives and build on the progress made so far.

This includes reducing the unnecessary duplication across entities and maximizing efficiency gains, including through the responsible use of technology.

Second, reform must be pursued in a transparent manner.

Transparency is essential not only to ensure accountability, but also to facilitate compromise and consensus.

My delegation, therefore, emphasizes the importance of robust oversight, accountability, and evidence-based decision making. Third, we must remain focused on delivering tangible results on the ground while ensuring adequate resources for the organization to effectively deliver its core mandate. Keeping this objective in view will help us navigate difficult choices and identify practical solutions. Mr. Chair, the international community needs a capable and well-functioning UN more than ever.

The Republic of Korea stands ready

to engage constructively with every delegation for a timely and consensual outcome of this committee. I thank you.


NGR · Chair [1:53:31]:

Thank you very much, Your Excellency, for that all-important statement about efficiency and effectiveness, people-focused United Nations. Thank you so much. I would like to give the floor now to His Excellency from Kenya to deliver his statement. Thank you. Your Excellency, you have the floor.


Kenya [1:53:53]:

Thank you, Mr. Chair. On behalf of my delegation, I congratulate you and the members of the Bureau on your election. Kenya pledges its full support as you guide the committee towards a productive and successful session. Kenya aligns itself with the statements delivered by Uruguay on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, and Djibouti on behalf of the Africa Group. However, allow me to add a few remarks in our national capacity. First, peace and sustainable development are mutually reinforcing responsibilities under the Charter. Our consideration of the proposed programme budget for 2027 must ensure that the Organization can discharge these responsibilities effectively and respond to the needs of the people it serves. Secondly, the Resident Coordinator System is essential to a coherent and effective United Nations development presence at the country level. Its funding and governance review must deliver adequate, predictable and sustainable financing. We urge Member States to give this review the attention it deserves and ensure that funding uncertainty does not weaken country-level delivery or progress towards the 2030 Agenda. Third, construction and property management are critical to a safe, accessible and effective working environment for the Organization. The ongoing projects warrant due attention as part of our collective responsibility to ensure that the UN facilitates facilities are fit for purpose and support effective mandate delivery. Lastly, special political missions are indispensable instruments for preventive diplomacy, mediation and peacebuilding. The United Nations must have the capacity to prevent conflict and sustain peace. Continued stability in regions served by these missions underscores the importance of preserving the ability to implement mandated tasks and support lasting political solutions. We call for adequate, predictable and mandate-based resources for these missions, including effective cooperation with the African Union and subregional organizations. Budgetary scrutiny must take account of operating conditions and the risks to mandate implementation. Expenditure constrained by liquidity shortages should not be treated as evidence of reduced needs. Further, missions transitions must preserve essential capacities and hard-won peacebuilding gains. Mr. Chair, Kenya stands ready to engage constructively towards balanced and timely outcomes. I thank you.


NGR · Chair [1:56:35]:

Thank you very much, Your Excellency. And Thank you for the speech and the statement made, which is that United Nations must respond to the needs of the people. Thank you. May I now give the floor to Her Excellency, who is here to deliver the statement from Norway. Your Excellency, you have the floor. Thank you.


Norway [1:57:11]:

Thank you very much, chair, and congratulations on your appointment. Chair, during the 80th session, this committee was able to achieve important outcomes for the future of the United Nations. Towards the very end of the session, the committee passed the revised methodology for credit returns on a trial basis. At the beginning of the session, the committee passed the first concrete outcomes of the UN80 initiative, the 2026 budget. In order for the UN to maintain its relevance and credibility, reforms must continue. With that in mind, Norway will continue to strive for reforms. With growing global challenges and increasing demands on the UN system, limited resources must be used wisely. We must ensure effectiveness and prioritize. This requires willingness by Member States to make tough decisions and to compromise. The budget must maintain a balance between the three core pillars of the UN: development, peace and security, and human rights. The goal must be to improve the UN's impact for people on the ground and to enable the UN to deliver on the 2030 Agenda. Chair, Let me emphasize that reform must be supported by financing. As member state, we must all do our part and we must all pay our share. Norway commends those countries that have paid their assessed contributions in full and on time. We call upon all other member states to pay their outstanding contributions as soon as possible. My delegation looks forward to engaging constructively with member states across regions throughout the 81st session. We remain committed to strive towards agreement based on the principle of consensus, and I thank you.


NGR · Chair [1:59:13]:

Thank you very much, Your Excellency. You want tough decisions and reform with the changing challenges in geocentric system, the reform must be continuous. Thank you, Your Excellency. Distinguished colleagues, In light of the statement made, may I take it that the committee approve the proposed program of work on the understanding that the Bureau will take into account the views expressed today and make adjustments as necessarily reflecting progress made under the course in the course of this session and availability of reports. We have now come to the end of our organization of work and We begin our first substantive item for this morning. Please allow a moment. I think that's for the podium change. I invite the committee to begin. I invite the Committee to begin its consideration of the agenda item 142, entitled Scale of Assessment for the Apportionment of the Expenses of the United Nations. The Committee has before it the document as reflected in today's journal. I draw the attention of the Committee to a statement by the Chair of the Committee of Contributions. In connection with the report of the Committee on Contributions at the 88th session, contained in document A/81/11, the statement is available on the Fifth Committee website and in the journal. I give the floor to our very good colleague, Assistant General Secretary-Controller, to introduce the report of the Secretary-General in the multi-year payment plan contained in document A/81/66. Your Excellency, you have the floor.


UN Secretariat · ASG/Controller [2:01:27]:

Good afternoon, Mr. Chair, distinguished delegates. I would like to first congratulate you and the Bureau on your election. The Fifth Committee can count on my support, as well as the support of my office and the entire secretariat, in carrying out its program of work. at the 81st session. Regarding agenda item 142, I have the honor to introduce the report of the Secretary-General on multi-year payment plans contained in document A/81/66. Since the introduction of the system in 2002, seven member states have successfully implemented multi-year payment plans, enabling them to pay their assessed contributions in full. We are grateful for their commitment to meeting their financial obligations to the UN. As of 31st December 2025, there were no multi-year payment plans submitted to the Secretariat. In setting out the arrangements for the multi-year payment plan system, it was recognized that due consideration should be given to the economic position of member states, as not all of them might be in a position to submit a plan. Accordingly, the submission of such plans remains voluntary in nature. The Secretariat stands ready to assist any Member State wishing to implement a multi-year payment plan. The General Assembly may wish to take note of the present report and encourage Member States with significant arrears in contributions to consider submitting a multi-year payment plan. Thank you, Mr. Chair.


NGR · Chair [2:03:08]:

Thank you very much, Financial Controller. The floor is now open to any delegation who wishes to make statements. I give the floor to the distinguished representative and delegation from Uganda, who is here to give the speech. You have the floor.


Uganda · G77 + China [2:03:48]:

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I have the honor to speak on behalf of the Group of 77 and China on agenda item 142 entitled Scale of Assessments for the Apportionment of the Expenses of the UN. The group thanks Assistant Secretary General and Controller, Mr. Chandru Ramanathan, for presenting the reports before us. We appreciate the work of the Committee at its 86th session. The Group reaffirms that the Organization must be provided with the financial resources necessary to implement its mandates fully. All Member States must fulfill their obligations under the Charter and pay their assessed contributions in full, on time, and without conditions. We firmly reject the unilateral and persistent withholding of contributions as a means of exerting influence over or pressure on the Organization. Such conduct is contrary to both the letter and spirit of the Charter, which upholds the principle of sovereign equality of all Member States. We recognize, however, that some developing countries face special difficulties, external hindrances, and circumstances beyond their control that temporarily prevent them from meeting their financial obligations. The difficulties faced by these countries should be duly recognized when considering their requests requests for exemption under Article 19. The group therefore stresses the importance of considering such requests as a matter of urgency. On multi-year payment plans, we know that no plans were active as of 31st December 2025 and commend Member States that successfully implemented their plans. We encourage Member States with significant arrears to consider practical plans on practical payment plans on a voluntary basis in consultation with the Secretariat and considering their economic circumstances. We express our solidarity with the four countries, all members of the group, that are currently unable to vote in the General Assembly and express our support for the Committee's recommendation that Sao Tome and Principe be permitted to vote until the end of the 81st session. Mr. Chair, the group reiterates its long-standing positions on the scales of assessments reflected in successive ministerial declarations. First, capacity to pay must remain the fundamental criterion for apportioning the expenses of the UN. The current methodology reflects changes in Member States' relative economic situations Under this methodology, developing countries' collective share has increased significantly over time, while that of developed countries has continued to decline. As responsible members of the UN, we have consistently fulfilled our financial obligations to the organization and reaffirm our commitment to doing so. That said, we reject changes to the methodology or alternative approaches aimed at increasing the contributions of developing countries. The review requested in resolution 79/249 on which the committee is to report by the main part of the 82nd session must remain firmly grounded in the principle of capacity to pay and must not impose a disproportionate burden on developing countries. Second, the core elements of the current methodology, including the base period gross national income conversion rates, capita income adjustment, gradient, floor, ceiling for least developed countries, and debt stock adjustment must be kept intact and are not negotiable. The low per capita income and debt burden adjustments remain essential to reflecting the actual capacity of developing countries to pay. The scale must be based on reliable, verifiable, and comparable data supported by the latest statistics available. We support efforts to strengthen national statistical capacities and timely reporting. Furthermore, conversion rates must be applied impartially with appropriate alternatives considered case by case where market exchange rates cause excessive fluctuations or distortions in gross national income. Third, the group reiterates that the maximum assessment rate of 22% resulted from a political compromise, runs counter to capacity to pay, and remains a fundamental distortion benefiting only one member state. Its reduction in 2000 was intended to facilitate the payment of arrears and improve the organization's financial situation. The group recalls the severe liquidity crisis of recent years and notes that the accumulated arrears were largely owned by the same member state that has consistently benefited from the 22% ceiling. We reiterate our call for the General Assembly to review this arrangement pursuant to paragraph 2 of resolution 55/5C. The group will request detailed information on the record of arrears payments to assess whether that rationale has been fulfilled. Fourth, organizations enjoying enhanced observer status with rights and privileges comparable to those of observer states, such as the right to speak in the general debate of the General Assembly and the right of reply, should bear corresponding financial obligations. We reiterate our call for the GA to consider an assessment for such organizations. Mr. Chair, the group engaged constructively in the consideration of the reports before us. And we affirm the unity and solidarity of all member states of the group on this agenda item. I thank you.


NGR · Chair [2:09:12]:

Thank you, Your Excellency. May I pass the floor now to Bangladesh. India, please. You have the floor, Your Excellency.


India [2:09:24]:

Swabhatimode.

India aligns with the statement delivered by Uruguay on behalf of the Group of 77. We thank the Committee on contributions for its report A/81/11 and the Secretariat for its report A/81/66 on multi-year payment plans. Mr. Chair, the organization can deliver on its mandates only if adequately funded. We note that the total arrears have gone up to 5.6 billion as on 30th September 2026. The UN80 reforms means little if assessments go unpaid. On its part, India has regularly paid its contributions in full and on time and has been consistently recognized in the honor roll of the United Nations. We are, however, particularly concerned about delayed reimbursements to troop and police contributing countries, most of whom are developing countries. TCCs contribute disproportionately toward peacekeeping, deploying personnel, equipment, and making supreme sacrifices. TCCs have essentially become de facto financiers of UN peacekeeping. Inordinate delays in reimbursement due to non-payment of assessed contributions from Member States that have the capacity to pay is unjustified and is unacceptable. We urge all Member States to pay their assessed contributions in full or on time and without conditions. On the request for an exemption from Article 19 of the UN Charter, we support the Committee's recommendation to permit Sao Tome and Principe to vote until the end of the 81st session of the General Assembly. We also recognize that some developing countries are in arrears and fall under the provisions of article 19 and continue to face difficulties beyond their control and their circumstances deserve due consideration. Despite the significant increase in our assessed contributions, India believes that the current methodology of the scale of assessment has worked well and must continue. The principle of capacity to pay and the low per capita income adjustments and debt burden adjustments are fundamental criteria in the apportionment of the expenses of the UN and should not be negotiable. Other core elements of the current methodology must be kept intact. The review requested in resolution 79/249 must stay anchored in the current methodology and not place any disproportionate burden on developing countries. Mr. Chair, India will engage constructively during deliberations on this agenda. I thank you.


NGR · Chair [2:13:08]:

Thank you very much, Your Excellency. May I pass the floor to Bangladesh? You have the floor, Your Excellency.


Bangladesh [2:13:17]:

Mr. Chair, at the outset, I extend my warm congratulations to you and the members of the Bureau on your election to lead the Fifth Committee during this 81st session. My delegation assures you of our full support and cooperation. Bangladesh aligns itself with the statement of the G77 and China. I thank the Chair of the Committee on Contributions and the Controller for introducing their respective reports. Mr. Chair, the scale of assessments is fundamental to ensure the UN to effectively implement its mandates across all three pillars. Bangladesh firmly reaffirms the principle of capacity to pay as the cardinal criteria governing the apportionment of UN expenses. The payment of assessed contributions in full, on time, and without conditions is an unconditional legal obligation under Article 17 of the UN Charter. Mr. Chair, the core elements of the current methodology must remain intact and non-negotiable. Bangladesh does not support any change to these elements of the current methodology, nor any alternative approach to the preparation of the scale of assessments that would result in an increased financial burden on developing countries. Assessments must continue to be based on reliable, verifiable and comparable data, while adequately taking into account the economic vulnerabilities of Member States, including the impact of inflation and external shocks. Applications under Article 19 should also be considered sympathetically and on an urgent basis, recognizing that extraordinary circumstances beyond a Member State's control may temporarily affect its ability to meet its financial obligations. Mr. Chair, Bangladesh believes that the permanent members of the Security Council should continue to shoulder their respective premiums in peacekeeping financing. This is important for ensuring an equitable distribution of the financial responsibilities. Member states with significant arrears may be allowed to establish multi-year payment plans to meet their financial obligations to the organization, taking into account their particular circumstances and in accordance with the relevant rules and procedures. I thank you, Mr. Chair.


NGR · Chair [2:15:41]:

Thank you very much. I give the floor to Russia Federation. Your Excellency, you have the floor.


Russian Federation · Deputy Permanent Representative [2:15:52]:

Chair, we'd like to thank the representative of the UN Secretariat and the Committee on Contributions for their reports. The scale of assessment is one of the fundamental agenda items for the Fifth Committee. We note with regret that the years-long practice of approving the scale of assessments by by consensus came to an end in December 2024. The reason for the vote at the Fifth Committee was the double standards that had been spotted in the Secretariat's preparations of the draft scale of assessments, which was then submitted for consideration at the Committee on Contributions. We hope that we will manage to once again be able to work by consensus on this agenda item. For this, We need to ensure a single unified approach on the part of the Secretariat to the collecting, processing, storing and presenting of data on the economies and populations of all Member States. Thank you for your attention.


NGR · Chair [2:17:07]:

Distinguished colleagues, if there are no further comments, the Committee has thus concluded the general discussion on this agenda item. informal consultation on agenda item 142, scale of assessments for the apportionment of expenses of the United Nations will be coordinated by Mrs. Lucia Dots of Paraguay. I would like to pause for a few moments to enable changes in the setting of the podium. Distinguished colleagues, I now invite the Committee to begin the consideration of the agenda item 137 entitled Programme Budget for 2026, in particular, the question of United Nations Office for Partnership. In this connection, I invite Executive Director, United Nations Office for Partnership, Ms. Hom, to introduce the related report contained in document A/81/26B. Ms. Hom, you have the floor.


UNOP · Executive Director [2:19:12]:

Thank you so much, Mr. Chair, Excellencies and distinguished colleagues. I am honored to present the annual report of the Secretary-General A/81/268, outlining the 2025 priorities of the United Nations Office for Partnerships in accordance with General Assembly decisions 52/466 and 53/475. Guided by the implementation of resolution 71/243, the UN Office for Partnerships serves as a global gateway to the United Nations. The office convenes, creates, and mobilizes partnerships and fosters multi-stakeholder engagement with the UN system to drive impactful global change. The office leverages expertise through initiatives such as the Secretary General's SDG Advocates, the Goals Lounge, the UN Fund for International Partnerships, the UN Democracy Fund, and the UN Partnership Trust Fund. Through its network of global leaders, influential figures, and organizations, the office works to address global challenges with a strategic and inclusive approach. Launched in 2025, The United Nations Goals Lounge, convened by the Deputy Secretary-General and hosted by the United Nations Office for Partnerships, brings together Member States, the SG's SDG advocates, the UN system, youth, civil society, media, and the private sector to foster dialogue, collaboration, and partnerships for the Sustainable Development Goals. Through innovative programming and engagement, the Goals Lounge helps to advance solutions and collective actions to accelerate SDG implementation. Turning to the trust funds managed by the UN Office for Partnerships, the UN Fund for International Partnerships, UNFIP, continue to act as the primary link between the UN and the UN Foundation. In 2025, the UN Foundation disbursed through UNFIP to the UN system US $25.1 million, including $8.7 million for projects and $16.4 million through fiduciaries. Additionally, in 2025, the UN Democracy Fund agreed to support 32 new civil society projects promoting human rights and democratic participation, with funding of approximately $5.94 million from voluntary government contributions. Financial contributions to UNDEF reduce significantly in 2025 to 1.95 million and the 2026 contribution present further decline. In conclusion, the UN Office for Partnerships remains committed to advancing the SDGs through collaborative partnerships, leveraging its ability to convene, advocate and engage. Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.


NGR · Chair [2:22:30]:

I thank Ms. Hall for her introduction. The floor is now open to any delegation who wishes to make a statement. I give the floor to distinguished representative, if there is anyone who wants to make a statement. You are going to be a statement on behalf of China and G77. Your Excellency, you have the floor.


G77 + China [2:22:54]:

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the Group of 77 and China under agenda item 137, program budget for 2026 in connection with the report of the SG on the United Nations Office for Partnerships, UNOP. The group thanks the Executive Director of UNOPS, Anne-Marie Hou, for presenting the report and notes with appreciation the activities undertaken by the office during 2025. We reiterate the importance of its role in mobilizing, convening, and sustaining multi-stakeholder partnerships to advance the Sustainable Development Goals. Effective and inclusive partnerships must be rooted in multilateralism, respect for national ownership, and the priorities of developing countries. Partnership initiatives must align with national development plans and respond to the specific needs and circumstances of program countries with the active involvement of national stakeholders throughout their design, implementation, and evaluation. Mr. Chair, the group notes that the United Nations Foundation disbursed $25.1 million through the United Nations Fund for International Partnerships in 2025, comprising $8.7 million in project grants and $16.4 million through fiduciary arrangements. We appreciate these efforts to mobilize resources and encourage partnerships that translate funding into sustainable improvements in people's lives, particularly in developing countries. We note with concern the sharp decline in financial contributions to the UN Democracy Fund from approximately $6.78 million in 2024 to $1.95 million in 2025. The Fund approved 30 projects in its 19th funding round from 2,277 proposals submitted from 130 countries. The group reiterates its call on member states, donors, and other stakeholders to enhance voluntary contributions to UNFIP and UNDEF, enabling them to respond to the growing needs of developing countries. The group welcomes initiatives that strengthen women's leadership and the meaningful participation of young people in decision making. We note the activities undertaken through the Women Rise for All and projects supporting youth engagement in education. This effort should expand opportunities for women and young people in developing countries to shape the decisions affecting their lives and strengthen their capacity to participate effectively. We also note the support provided for health services, immunization, and mental health and psychosocial care, including the initiative for children in eastern Chad. We encourage partnerships that strengthen national institutions and local capacities, improve access to essential services, and respond to the needs of vulnerable communities, including refugees and host communities. The group highlights the importance of improving developing countries' access to resources, technology, and capacity We note initiatives supporting data systems and digital skills in Africa and encourage efforts to bridge digital divides in accordance with national priorities. We reiterate the need to support climate adaptation and mitigation while strengthening resilience and ensuring that developing countries benefit from opportunities associated with the energy transition. Mr. Chair, transparency and accountability remain essential to the credibility of partnerships. The group reiterates its call for improved disclosure of information, effective internal oversight, and clear criteria for the selection of UNFIP and UNDEF projects. Funding decisions and implementation arrangements must be transparent with clear mechanisms for assessing impact and ensuring accountability, and with the active involvement of national stakeholders. The group notes the office's collaboration with resident coordinators, country teams, and other UN entities. We encourage strengthened coordination to avoid duplication and ensure that advocacy and convening activities deliver tangible results in support of national development priorities and the achievement of the sustainable development goals. Mr. Chair, the Group of 77 and China reaffirms that strengthened global partnerships are indispensable to achieving the 2030 Agenda. We remain committed to working collectively with all partners to advance inclusive multilateralism, mobilize resources, and ensure that no one is left behind. I thank you.


NGR · Chair [2:27:26]:

Thank you very much, Your Excellency. Colleagues, if there are no further comments, the Committee concludes its general discussions on this question. There are any comments? Okay, that's fine. Let me sincerely thank my colleagues, your excellencies, for this incredible time, the first time of starting our fifth committee meeting. Thank you so much for your time, for your kindness of time throughout the proceeding. On behalf of The secretaries, we thank you. We also thank the Bureau for your cooperation, and we appreciate your time. Thank you so much. We expect that the secretariat will foreclose any reports necessary, but thank you for the work you've done. We do appreciate you. Ms. Houde, thank you very much for your time. Thank you for coming. And may I say, informal consultation on the question will be coordinated by Mrs. Mariam Faddakar of Cote d'Ivoire. The meeting is accordingly adjourned.