International body plans to trim financial resources and workforce
At a casual UN General Assembly gathering, Guterres discussed the UN80 Initiative — a project geared towards revamping the multilateral organization's structure. This transformation involves consolidating units, eradicating functional and structural overlaps, and simplifying duties that are currently handled elsewhere in the system.
For instance, Guterres proposes to eliminate "approximately 20% of the roles" within the Departments of Political and Peacekeeping Affairs (DPPA) and Peacekeeping Operations (DPO) of the United Nations.
The UN80 Initiative proposes a similar approach for the civilian side of DPO and centralization of all counter-terrorism activities solely within the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate.
Across the UN Secretariat in New York and Geneva, all entities have been asked to re-evaluate their functions to determine if they can be performed in existing lower-cost locations or scaled down or discontinued altogether.
"By shifting roles to more cost-effective locations, we can decrease our presence in certain cities and lower our expenses," Guterres asserted.
He mentioned that substantial savings have already been achieved in New York — the UN's headquarters — by terminating a building lease and relocating staff to existing facilities.
"We anticipate closing two more buildings when their lease agreements expire in 2027, with significant savings," he said.
While the immediate focus is on the regular UN budget, the efficiency drive will encompass "the entire Secretariat in all funding streams."
"We foresee significant overall budget reductions," he confessed.
The UN has experienced funding reductions from its primary donor, the United States, following President Trump's inauguration.
Guterres' initiative arrives at a time when the United Nations is celebrating its 80th anniversary and faces serious questions about its ability to mediate conflicts, provide food aid to the most vulnerable, and combat diseases, among other issues.
"These are challenging times. However, they are also times of tremendous opportunities and obligations. The United Nations' mission is more vital than ever," the UN leader underlined, emphasizing his efforts to make the Organization more efficient, simplify procedures, eliminate duplications, and increase transparency and accountability.
"The financial crisis we're currently facing isn't new. But the current financial and political situation adds even more urgency to our endeavors. We confront real threats to the very structure, values, principles, and sustainability of multilateralism. (...) We must rise to this occasion," he challenged the diplomatic corps.
In his address, Guterres advocated that the measure of the UN's success should not be the volume of reports it generates or the number of meetings it convenes, but rather the "real impact it makes in the lives of people."
Despite the UN's workload increasing every year, resources are diminishing across all sectors. This is partly due to the fact that not all member states fully pay their annual obligations, and many also pay late.
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Background:
The UN80 Initiative is a comprehensive mission to fortify the United Nations system, ensuring it continues to be effective, cost-efficient, and responsive to global needs. This initiative aims to:
- Strengthen the UN System: To boost the UN's capacity to address complex international challenges, such as maintaining peace and security and promoting sustainable development.
- Implement the Pact for the Future: To support the implementation of a pact that aligns with key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those related to reducing inequalities, promoting peace and justice, and fostering partnerships.
- Efficiency and Cost-Effectiveness: To optimize the UN's operational efficiency and lower administrative costs, ensuring resources are utilized effectively to serve those who rely on the organization.
In essence, the UN80 Initiative is a strategic undertaking to modernize and strengthen the UN, ensuring it remains a significant player in global governance and development.
- Amidst the UN's 80th anniversary and facing questions about its capacity to mediate conflicts, provide aid, and combat diseases, Secretary-General Guterres announced the UN80 Initiative to fortify the United Nations system, emphasizing the need to strengthen the UN's capacity, improve efficiency, and lower costs.
- In his initiative, Guterres aims to address the financial crisis and the urgency of the current political situation by focusing on the UN's mission, simplifying procedures, eliminating duplications, and increasing transparency, ensuring that the measure of the UN's success is not just the volume of reports or meetings but the real impact it makes in people's lives.
