EU Statement - Briefing by the Secretary-General on the UN80 Initiative

 - Final -

Mr President, Mr Secretary-General, distinguished colleagues, 

I deliver this statement on behalf of the EU and its member states. 

The Candidate Countries Türkiye, North Macedonia*, Montenegro^*, Serbia^*, Albania^*, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina^* and Georgia, as well as Armenia, Andorra, Monaco and San Marino align themselves with this statement.

Thank you, Mr President, for convening us today for this important briefing on the UN80 initiative. We wish to express our sincere appreciation to the Secretary-General for the briefing and for his continued leadership. Transparency throughout this process is of vital importance. 

This is a critical moment for the UN. In a context of growing global challenges and increasing demands on the UN system, we fully support the SG’s ambition to drive and deliver on an ambitious, meaningful and urgent reform. A reform laser-focused on ensuring that the UN will be able to deliver on its core mandate ever more effectively and efficiently in the years to come. Its success is our shared responsibility. 

We would like to highlight several aspects that we believe should be considered in this process. 

First, and as narratives undermining multilateralism are spreading, let me assure you that the EU remains fully committed to the UN Charter and to the core values that make multilateralism a success: respect for international law, including human rights, and the rule of law; solidarity towards those most in need to address persisting inequalities; and the building of values-based partnerships where all do their part to address, together, the existential global challenges we face.

Our work must reinforce multilateralism, as reflected in the Pact for the Future. The Pact outlined the UN’s priorities for future action – the “what” – and should serve as the compass for this reform process – the “how.” The focus on efficiencies and mandate implementation must not come at the cost of the UN as a normative organization. The UN80 initiative must remain anchored in our shared priorities and translate the Pact into concrete implementation, including achieving Agenda 2030 and its SDGs. UN80 should also go hand in hand with the humanitarian reset proposed by ERC Fletcher for a more focused and efficient humanitarian system.

Second, it is essential to preserve the integrity and balance of the three pillars of the UN Charter: peace and security, sustainable development, and human rights. Elevating one pillar over others under the guise of returning to the UN’s “core business” would severely undermine the core of multilateral work. 

Third, a streamlined UN that focuses on efficient and effective delivery of mandates at country level, transparency, accountability and oversight, must be central to this reform process. This requires prioritizing, simplifying processes, and improving integration and coordination, including through enhanced interagency cooperation. We welcome all such efforts in key administrative areas—from IT and human resources to curtailing travel and procurement costs—as essential enablers of effective mandate implementation. The UN inevitably needs to take a close look at staff costs, which comprise over 70% of the Organisation’s expenditure. On the operational side, we similarly welcome reflection around the right size of the geographical footprint of the UN at country level.

We look forward to the SG’s concrete proposals to streamline mandates and to promote the structural reform of the UN system, to ensure a stronger and better UN that delivers, building on previous reform processes.

Fourth, the UN80 initiative needs to be guided by evidence-based decision-making, based on the principles of responsibility, representation, effectiveness, transparency, oversight, and accountability.  The UN should provide Member States with clear information and detailed data across the UN system on mandate implementation processes, performance and costs structures. Cost-reducing measures, such as staff relocations, should always be based on a comprehensive, long-term cost assessment for the UN as a whole. 

An accessible overview of the UN system’s revenue sources and a breakdown of expenditure is a must and an essential baseline for discussions on UN80. We encourage the UN leadership to accompany reforms with clear baselines, targets, and timelines. 

Fifth, we once again stress the critical role of adequate and timely financing and broadening the donor base. Full and unconditional fulfilment of financial obligations and assessed contributions are essential to ensure that the UN can function effectively. We need new incentives for timely and complete payments. We stress again that theEuropean Union and its Member States are the biggest collective contributors to the UN, both in assessed and voluntary contributions and in official development assistance, ensuring the UN can do its utmost to improve peoples’ lives under its three Pillars. We pay – and will continue to pay -- on time and in full, every year. Others should equally prioritize providing greater resources, predictability, and timeliness in their financial contributions.  

I would also like to take this opportunity to raise three questions:

First: How does the Secretary-General envisage ensuring that the UN80 initiative remains closely aligned with the priorities outlined in the Pact for the Future, particularly across all three pillars of the UN Charter?

Second: What mechanisms will be put in place to ensure that Member States have meaningful, transparent, and timely engagement throughout the reform process, especially in shaping proposals that directly impact mandate delivery and resource allocation?

Third: Can you provide Member States with an accessible overview of the existing overlaps and duplications in the UN system that UN80 should be addressing, including in its mandates, as well as the revenues from assessed contributions and expenditures for each of its respective organs, departments, agencies and thematic pillars, including an overview of encumbered staff positions?

Mr. President, Mr Secretary-General, 

The UN80 initiative must be an exercise to make the UN deliver better and with more impact. It is about building a stronger, more effective, more financially sustainable and more trusted Organization – the UN that the world’s citizens want and need.

The European Union and its Member States look forward to bold and courageous proposals from you, Mr. Secretary-General. 

You can count on our continued support and constructive engagement as we move forward together. We are eager to work closely with you and with Member States from all regional groups to make UN80 a success.

Thank you.

* North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.