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UN Plans Significant Job Cuts for 2026 as Part of Ongoing Reform
WASHINGTON — The United Nations (UN) is considering massive staff reductions, potentially eliminating thousands of positions, as part of its ambitious budget reform plans slated for 2026. The UN Secretary-General has targeted a meaningful reduction of up to 20% from the regular budget for the UN Secretariat, according to an internal memo obtained by AFP on May 30.
In a memo this week sent to department heads, UN Controller Chandramouli Ramanathan stated the Secretary-General aims to achieve a reduction of 20% in staff posts for the UN Secretariat. The UN's budget for 2025 totals $3.7 billion, supported by approximately 35,000 employees, most of whom work in New York but also in other locations such as Geneva, Vienna, and Nairobi.
The staff cuts form part of the UN80 reform initiative, launched by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in March, aimed at streamlining UN operations under financial constraints. Guterres has previously cautioned about "painful" changes, including staff reductions, a hint that a 20% staffing reduction might be imminent.
In the memo, staff were asked to prepare lists of posts to eliminate by June 13, focusing on functions deemed redundant, overlapping, or non-critical. The memo emphasized the need for timeliness, asserting aggressive timelines recognized for this collective effort.
If adopted by the General Assembly, responsible for adopting the 2026 budget, the staff cuts will take effect on January 1, 2026, for posts already vacant, and later for occupied positions in accordance with UN regulations.
Considering the UN's ongoing liquidity issues, where some member states do not pay their full contributions or pay on time, the UN has faced chronic financial difficulties. As the top contributor to the UN ordinary budget at 22%, the United States owes nearly $1.5 billion in arrears and current fiscal year dues, according to a UN spokesperson. China, the number two contributor at 20%, only paid its contribution in late December 2024. These funding shortfalls have complicated the UN's financial management.
The UN's budget reform plans for 2026, as part of the UN80 initiative, aim to reduce up to 20% of staff posts in the UN Secretariat, which could lead to significant policy-and-legislation changes in the general-news and politics sphere. As the General Assembly adopts the 2026 budget, news about staff cuts and their potential impact on UN operations may be a focus of general-news coverage.
