EU Statement - ECOSOC: Operational Activities Segment High-level Dialogue with the Secretary-General on his report on the Implementation of General Assembly resolution 79/226

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Excellency, 

Secretary General, 

I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the EU and its Member States.

The European Union and its Member States welcome this High-Level Dialogue and thank the Secretary-General for his comprehensive report on the implementation of the Quadrennial Comprehensive Policy Review (QCPR). This report is not only a stocktaking exercise but a critical roadmap for shaping and accelerating the next phase of UN development system reform as part of the ongoing UN80 reform. 

For the EU, UN80 is a crucial opportunity to shape a more agile, coherent, accountable, and results-oriented UN system, in line with our long-standing positions on effective multilateralism, and ensuring coherence across the three pillars of the organization. As the UN’s largest financial contributor and a strategic partner, we reiterate our support for your efforts, as well as for a maximum of ambition and transparency in this reform. It really is now or never.

In that perspective, we would have 3 comments:

First, the QCPR and UN80 both aim to deliver a more effective and less fragmented UN system, particularly in areas where system-wide change is most urgently needed. By aligning these processes, reforms will not stay just theoretical but translate into tangible improvements in how the UN supports countries to achieve the SDGs, which remains our priority. QCPR guides the way and UN80 must now deliver.

For instance, the QCPR’s call for simplified business practices, common back-offices, and shared services should be fast-tracked within UN80 to reduce duplication and free up resources for frontline delivery.

Reducing the fragmentation of the development system through more than 40 entities is essential and the EU supports consolidation efforts through possible mergers. This includes case-by-case evaluation, provided there is a clear merger dividend supported by detailed, clear data and robust evidence, that the mergers would strengthen delivery on the ground, preserve core  mandates, and generate clear efficiencies.

Second, the QCPR’s emphasis on country ownership, integrated planning, and results-based management should serve as the foundation for the reconfiguration of UN country teams—a cornerstone of UN80. It represents one of the most transformative opportunities to enhance the impact, accountability and efficiency of the UN’s work on the ground and for those who need it most. It is important to remember that there is no one size fits all and that special attention should be paid to countries in fragile situations.

The report calls for a shift from evaluating individual agencies in isolation to assessing the collective performance of the UN system as a whole. This is a fundamental change—one that the UN80 reforms must embed through:

• A stronger Resident Coordinator system underpinned by sustainable financing remains essential and must be fully reflected in UN80’s governance and operational reforms, ensuring RCs have more authority, the right resources, and support they need to lead unified country teams. We look forward to hearing this afternoon what concrete changes the Secretariat proposes to that end, possibly for Member States decision.

• Stronger use of expertise on demand so that country teams can draw on specialised expertise tailored to their contexts and retain a more agile format.

• Regional reset to align priorities and resources with national and sub-regional needs,

• Deeper engagement of specialised agencies, funds, and programmes in more systematic joint planning and delivery, including through adequate incentives and mechanisms.

• The establishment of Joint Knowledge Hubs, as key mechanism to bridge gaps between global, regional, and country-level expertise.

We must ensure that UN80’s regional and global components are fully synchronised with country-level needs ownership, avoiding siloed approaches and duplication that undermine efficiency. 

Finally, we are supportive of funding modalities that strengthen joint UN delivery. 

The EU has been strongly supporting the UNDS reform, including the RC system, both politically and financially.

While encouraging Member States to increase the quality of funding to the UN - also as part of UN80, we would welcome more voluntary reports on how Member States align with the Funding Compact.

To accompany the funding modalities, the report’s recommendations on improved coordination among executive boards, better alignment with ECOSOC guidance, and enhanced accountability mechanisms provide a blueprint for making the outcome of UN80 more coherent and Member State-driven.

Secretary-General, Colleagues,

The European Union and its Member States are committed to making UN80 a success to meet the urgency of Agenda2030. We will continue to provide strong support, but we also need clear information and transparency, concrete progress and measurable results. The reforms must translate into more efficient operations, stronger and leaner country teams, and better development outcomes for those we serve. We should be able to explain to the broader public outside the UN how all these reforms will concretely change the lives of people, in simple terms. 

In this context, we would appreciate greater clarity on which key deliverables of the work packages require immediate Member State attention based on the QCPR report and would most help the Secretariat to proceed?

Let us work together to ensure that this reform process delivers on its ambition.