Statement at the Fifth Committee, 1st Administrative and Budgetary plenary meeting -General Assem…

Explore the latest developments concerning Statement at the.

Statement at the Fifth Committee, 1st Administrative and Budgetary plenary meeting -General Assembly, 80th session

We’re sorry, this site is currently experiencing technical difficulties. Please try again in a few moments.
Exception: forbidden

How a Special Envoy for Future Generations Could Help Rescue UN80 from Itself

General Assembly Hall Ahead of Opening of Sixth Day of 80th General Assembly Debate, September 29, 2025. UN Photo/Loey Felipe.

The UN secretary-general is now more or less finished with his part of the UN80 reform process. In the six months since he launched the initiative, António Guterres has produced three sets of proposals to (1) identify immediate administrative efficiencies, (2) review mandate implementation, and (3) reform the organization’s architecture. With the final proposals now published and a revised budget submitted, the process has now moved into the hands of member states.

At a moment of deep geopolitical divides and heightened tension, UN80 has generated a surprising level of global consensus: everyone likes the idea of saving money, but few seem to like UN80 itself. Many member states have criticized the initiative for being overly opaque, failing to account for their areas of interest, or potentially allowing some actors to shirk their duties. Experts have called it a “technocratic coping strategy” driven by tactical responses to a liquidity crisis. And within the UN Secretariat, staff complain that rapid cuts risk hollowing out key functions at a time when the UN’s work is more important than ever.

Responding to the Pressing Financial Needs of the United Nations

As the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (‘GA’) high-level week draws to a close, the time has come for the GA to get busy with discussing the pressing issues on the table. Among them is addressing the precarious financial position of the UN. The UN already broke the record in 2023, with uncollected funds amounting to $ 859 million (here, para. 8). Since then, the Secretariat has continued to tighten its belt to reduce spending until the Organization secures enough cash. This has impacted the activities of the UN (discussed here concerning the ILC). The situation is likely to persist, or perhaps even worsen (see e.g. here, para. 9), as major contributors are expected to delay and may refuse to pay the assessed contributions following a unilateral review. Despite the UN80 initiative being underway, this process has only just begun, which would require not only time but also, ultimately, the political will of the member states.

For more news…