EU Statement – UN General Assembly 5th Committee First Resumed Session: Human Resources Management
Madame Chair,
I have the honor to speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.
The Candidate Countries North Macedonia, Montenegro*, Serbia*, Albania,Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina* and Georgia,as well as Armenia, Monaco, and San Marino align themselves with this statement.
At the outset, I would like to acknowledge the presence of the Assistant Secretary-General for Human Resources and the Chair of the ACABQ, and to thank them for presenting the reports under this agenda item.
The United Nations’ most valuable asset is its staff. Their dedication and profesionalism are essential to delivering mandates, upholding principles, and defending the values of the Organization. Effective human resources management is therefore central to building an agile, accountable, and resilient UN, as envisioned in the Pact for the Future and the Secretary-General’s UN80 Initiative.
Madame Chair,
In response to the current global and resource-constrained context, the UN80 Initiative seeks to make the Organization more integrated, agile, and fit for purpose. Human resources will be pivotal in implementing these reforms. Policies must support new operating models, workforce shifts, consolidation of administrative services, and new organizational structures, while ensuring fairness, transparency, and confidence in the system and the well being of the staff.
The adoption of resolution 77/278 three years ago reflected a shared commitment to a comprehensive HR strategy, that needs to be adapted to the challenging times. The proposed strategy focuses on 4 strategic outcomes, diversity, agility, resilience and accountability.
Diversity
We are convinced that, as set out in the UN Charter, the Organization’s workforce should continue to embody the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity, while reflecting the diversity of the people it serves. Achieving this requires a recruitment process that attracts and hires the most suitable candidates with the right skills, in line with the 120-day target for staff selection. Staff Selection 2.0 should become an effective and tangible reality. We remain committed to supporting efforts to enhance workforce diversity, including accessibility, career progression, and staff retention, across all categories and components of the Organization.
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We encourage further system-wide efforts towards achieving gender parity and the empowerment of women at all levels, including in the field;
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We emphasize that due regard shall be paid to attracting and retaining talent on as wide a geographical basis as possible, based on the well-implemented system of desirable ranges;
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We insist on the need to ensure equal opportunities for persons with disabilities;
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We repeat our call to rejuvenate the Organization, and acquire and retain young talent. We look forward to a discussion on the Comprehensive Approach Report provided for this session;
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We reiterate the importance of multilingualism and the need for linguistic diversity to be adequately reflected in the human resources management of the UN.
Talent outreach, addressing the young talent pipeline, as well as a well-structured and managed internship programme, are key priorities that we take very seriously, as they are essential to attracting and developing the next generation of UN staff in accordance with article 101 of the UN Charter.
Agility
We strongly believe in the fundamental importance of a comprehensive and strategic workforce planning system. UN80 represents a valuable opportunity to engage in a collective reflection on modernizing the United Nations’ human resources policy and advice, so that it becomes more flexible and responsive, to strengthen impact on the ground.
The Organization should actively promote career development and learning opportunities, particularly in challenging environments.
Moreover, the effective implementation of the mobility framework is essential to fulfilling UN mandates while ensuring that staff morale and motivation are fully considered.
Resilience
We firmly believe that workforce resilience must be recognized as a key element for the future of the UN. Focusing on mental health and well-being, promoting career support, and ensuring organizational adaptability are essential components of a reformed and effective UN‘s workforce in particular in times of uncertainty caused by downsizing.
Accountability
As a cornerstone of any reform process, we remain deeply committed to implementing a strong and robust accountability framework. For an agile, motivated, and healthy workforce, an effective performance management system must be in place at all levels—one that incentivizes and rewards excellence while also addressing underperformance. This system should actively prevent all forms of discrimination, address misconduct with a survivor/victim-centered approach, and make zero tolerance a reality. The UN must be a place free of racism and racial discrimination.
Madame Chair,
When discussing the Organization’s most essential resource—its staff—we also recognize the need to take its financial situation into careful account. Member States have the responsibility to set human resources policies, ensuring that liquidity constraints do not hinder their effective implementation or their adequate analysis.
The European Union and its Member States remain committed to working constructively toward a consensual HRM resolution that provides clear and robust guidance within the framework of the UN80 Initiative. We will continue to engage actively with you and all members of the Fifth Committee to achieve this objective.
We conclude by commending all those who make our work possible and by expressing our sincere gratitude to the United Nations workforce for their unwavering dedication and professionalism in delivering the Organization’s mandates, even in times of uncertainty. While challenges remain, their commitment, expertise, and sense of purpose ensure that the Organization continues to function effectively. It is their professionalism, dedication, passion, and compassion that sustain the UN and enable it to serve those who depend on it.
I thank you Madame Chair.
- North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.