To be presented by the United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, the report outlines how the RC system helps deliver tangible results, including substantial operational efficiencies and enhanced partnerships, by strengthening coherence and aligning programmes more closely with national development priorities.The UNSDG Chair report will follow the presentation of the Secretary-General's report on the Quadrennial Comprehensive Policy Review of operational activities for development of the United Nations system.WHAT:Presentation of the 2025 Report of the Chair of the UN Sustainable Development Group (UNSDG) on DCO and the RC system at the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Segment on Operational Activities for Development. The full report is available on the website of the UN Development Coordination Office The interactive online version is on the website of the UN Sustainable Development GroupWHEN:Wednesday, 21 May 2025 at 10 a.m. WHERE: ECOSOC Chamber, United Nations Headquarters, New YorkWatch live on UN WebTV: https://webtv.un.org/en/asset/k1k/k1kb6dka02 WHO:António Guterres, United Nations Secretary-GeneralAmina Mohammed, United Nations Deputy Secretary-General and Chair of the UN Sustainable Development GroupOscar Fernández-Taranco, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Development CoordinationKEY HIGHLIGHTS: Evidence of the RC system’s success in supporting countries to fast-track SDG progress.Data from 2024 indicates that 98 per cent of host governments confirmed UN programmes were closely aligned with their development needs.Findings show nearly nine out of 10 host governments praised stronger RC leadership and collaboration across the UN system in 2024.Insights into how RCs are catalysing policy reforms, unlocking co-financing for sustainable development and improving crisis response.Details on the expanding role of RCs in leveraging partnerships, with 90 per cent of host governments reporting that RCs contributed to leveraging partnerships in support of national SDG efforts.USEFUL LINKS:Departmental website of the UN Development Coordination OfficeWebsite of the UN Sustainable Development GroupOfficial LinkedIn account of the UN Sustainable Development GroupOfficial X/Twitter account: @UN_SDGMEDIA CONTACT:La Neice Collins
Chief of Communications and Results Reporting
United Nations Development Coordination Office
Email: collins3@un.org , filtered_html

As salaam alaikum. Your Excellency President Rashid, thank you for your invitation and your hospitality. Your Highnesses, your Excellencies, Secretary-General Aboul Gheit, Ladies and Gentlemen I am honoured to be with you to further strengthen our partnership with the League of Arab States. The region and the world face trials and tests on all fronts. Starting with Gaza. Nothing justifies the atrocious October 7 terror attacks by Hamas. And nothing justifies the collective punishment of the Palestinian people. We need a permanent ceasefire, now. The unconditional release of all hostages, now. And the free flow of humanitarian aid ending the blockade, now. I am alarmed by reported plans by Israel to expand ground operations and more. And I emphasize that the United Nations will not participate in any so-called aid operation that does not adhere to international law and the humanitarian principles of humanity, impartiality, independence and neutrality. And I reiterate my appeal for the urgent and full support of UNRWA’s work, including financial support. We reject the repeated displacement of the Gaza population – and we obviously reject any question of forced displacement outside of Gaza. We must also stay focused on the terrible situation in the occupied West Bank. Let’s be clear:    Annexation is illegal.  Settlements are illegal.  Only a two-State solution can deliver sustainable peace: Israel and Palestine living side-by-side in peace and security, with Jerusalem as the capital of both states, in line with UN resolutions, international law, and previous agreements. The high-level conference in June, co-chaired by France and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, is an important opportunity.  The world, the region – and, most of all, the people of Palestine and Israel -- cannot afford to watch the two-State solution disappear before our eyes. That goal has never been more imperative – but unfortunately it also looks more distant.  The international community has an enormous responsibility in this decisive moment.  Excellencies, In Lebanon, Security Council resolution 1701 is unequivocal:sovereignty and territorial integrity of Lebanon must be respected, and the Government of Lebanon must have control over all Lebanese territory. And I welcome the stated commitment by Lebanese officials to ensure a state monopoly over weapons. I also encourage continued progress on reforms – as well as efforts to deploy the Lebanese Armed Forces to southern Lebanon, with the support of UNIFIL. In Syria, sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity are critical. And we must firmly support an inclusive, Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political process, based on the key principles of Security Council resolution 2254 – a process that safeguards the rights and participation of all Syrians regardless of ethnicity and religion, and ensures their protection. This is the pathway to a peaceful, independent and democratic future, and an economic revival as sanctions are removed. Excellencies, Highnesses, In Yemen, Houthi attacks in the Red Sea have significantly damaged the regional and global economies. I welcome the announcement made by the Sultanate of Oman on 6 May that the United States and the Houthis would cease hostilities. The trajectory of violence must cease – as we work for a negotiated Yemeni-led political settlement. UN staff and others that were arbitrarily arrested must be released. In Sudan, renewed and coordinated multilateral engagement is crucial to help stem appalling violence, famine, and mass displacement. And I am very grateful to the Arab League and to the AU for the excellent coordination meeting that we managed to have yesterday. I commend the efforts of the League of Arab States to strengthen multilateral coordination. In Somalia, unity and inclusive dialogue are imperative. The assistance of Somalia’s partners will be essential in the fight against Al Shabaab and strengthening peace and security in the country. That is why I put forward a recommendation to the Security Council to enable predictable and sustainable financing for the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia.  In Libya, we are actively engaging with national and international actors to end the confrontation between armed groups, to preserve the independence of key oversight institutions, to address the obstacles preventing national elections, and set the course for long-term stability and prosperity -- in line with the Libyan people’s needs and aspirations. And once again, the League of Arab States is a vital partner in these efforts. Finally, here in Baghdad, I want to recognize and commend the progress Iraq has made since the restoration of sovereignty in 2004 -- strengthening institutions, resolving outstanding disputes through dialogue, providing humanitarian assistance and fostering sustainable development and human rights. And I sincerely hope that all pending issues will find a just solution by dialogue. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq has accompanied the country on this path and we are working to ensure the successful delivery of its residual mandate and an orderly drawdown by 31 December 2025. We are committed to continue supporting the Government and people of Iraq towards a peaceful, democratic and prosperous future. Highnesses, Excellencies, Despite the enormous challenges, let us draw lessons and hope from here in Baghdad.  Working in unity and solidarity, we can help resolve conflicts and build a future of peace and prosperity. That is the shared goal of the League of Arab States and the United Nations – and I look forward to continue to deepen our partnership together.  Shukran.  *** , filtered_html

  Berlin, 13 May 2025  Dear Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defence Affairs of the Republic of Germany, our generous hosts Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, My thanks to Germany for bringing us together at this consequential moment. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the United Nations. Our organization was founded on the conviction that peace is possible if we work as one united human family. That is what our peace operations are about.  From preventive diplomacy to peacekeeping… From negotiating ceasefires to helping to implement them… From electoral support and observer missions to de-mining operations and protection of civilians… To the focus of today’s Ministerial meeting — peacekeeping. Excellencies, UN Blue Helmets are the most globally recognized symbol of the world’s ability to come together to help countries move from conflict to peace. Peacekeepers hail from every corner of the world. But they are united in their commitment to peace. As we meet today, UN peacekeepers are hard at work helping to ensure that ceasefires are respected… Protecting civilians caught in the line of fire… Helping provide the conditions for lifesaving aid to flow to those in need… And laying the foundations for long-term recovery. In trouble spots around the world, Blue Helmets can mean the difference between life and death. And they are also a clear demonstration of the power of multilateral action to maintain, achieve and sustain peace. There is a long list of countries that have achieved durable peace with the support of UN Peacekeeping — including Cambodia, Cote d’Ivoire, El Salvador, Liberia, Namibia, Mozambique, Sierra Leone and Timor Leste.   Many of these countries now themselves contribute troops.  At the same time, we recognize that peace comes at a price. Through the decades, 4,400 peacekeepers have fallen in the line of duty. Their service and sacrifice will never be forgotten.   Please join me in a moment of silence to honour all those who lost their lives in the pursuit of peace. [MOMENT OF SILENCE] Thank you. Excellencies, We owe it to peacekeepers — and the populations they protect — to continue strengthening their ability to answer this call to peace. And to do so in the face of daunting challenges. Complex, intertwined and frequently borderless conflicts… Growing polarization and division around the globe… Targeting of peacekeepers through deadly misinformation spreading through social media… Terrorism and transnational crime, which find fertile ground in instability… The ongoing climate crisis that is exacerbating conflict while leaving more of the planet uninhabitable… All the continued trampling of international law and international humanitarian law. As a result, we are now facing the highest number of conflicts since the foundation of the United Nations, and record numbers of people fleeing across borders in search of safety and refuge. We must recognize that peacekeeping operations are only as effective as the mandates directing them, and can struggle in contexts where political support and clearly defined outcomes and solutions are absent or elusive. Meanwhile, we see increasing differences of views around how peacekeeping operations should work, under what circumstances, with what mandates they should be deployed, and for how long. And we face dramatic financial constraints across the board. We’ve worked to adapt in the face of these challenges. But we need to do more. Today, I want to highlight three areas of focus. First — help us shape peacekeeping operations that are fit for the future.      The Pact for the Future called for a Review of Peace Operations — including peacekeeping. The review will examine how we can make peacekeeping operations more adaptable, flexible and resilient — while recognizing the limitations in situations where there is little or no peace to keep. It will also aim to critically examine the tools we have today and propose concrete recommendations to make them fit for the future.   Through this review, we must ensure that the United Nations is prepared to deploy peace operations tailored to each individual conflict, while preparing for the challenges of tomorrow. We can draw inspiration from our UNIFIL operation, which recently developed an adaptation plan to keep peace along the Blue Line, and ensure lifesaving aid can flow to civilians in southern Lebanon. In the Central African Republic, we see MINUSCA protecting civilians and assisting the government to extend its reach beyond the capital where people are in desperate need.  In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, despite ongoing fighting, UN Peacekeepers remain in the field, protecting vulnerable populations.  We’re also seeking efficiencies through partnerships — from Member States to regional and sub-regional organizations, to local communities. Most important among them is our strong partnership with the African Union. Security Council resolution 2719 has lifted this partnership to a new level as we work to establish peace enforcement missions under the AU’s responsibility, supported by the United Nations through assessed contributions. Today, the Review of Peace Operations will need to be informed — and inspired — by your views. Member States make peacekeeping possible. They must lead the way as we strengthen it for the future. Second — as we make our operations more adaptable and flexible, we need to do the same in the use of our resources. Peace operations can only succeed when backed by robust mandates and clear, predictable and sustained contributions, both financial and logistical.  But these are tough times for the financing of our work across the board. Peacekeeping is no exception. It is crucial that we are able to use the increasingly limited resources we have — and use them well. That requires more flexible rules and processes. This means updating our approach to abolishing or establishing positions, and working with troop-contributing countries to ensure we can deliver. It means working with Member States and the UN Security Council to ensure that any new mandates are prioritized and achievable with the resources available and with a clear exit strategy. And it means driving efficiencies and improvements across our work in light of the continued funding challenges we face. Our Review of Peace Operations will work hand-in-hand with our UN80 initiative, to ensure we maximize efficiencies wherever possible, supported at every step by Member States. We look forward to your governments’ support and ideas as we tackle these challenges together. Third — we need your political support, including through the pledges you will make tomorrow.  Peace operations cannot succeed in the absence of a political solution.  Together we need to mobilize greater support for political solutions across our peacekeeping missions.  Pursuing these political solutions requires adequate means of delivering our operations — including unified political support from Member States, strong leadership, well-trained troops, equipment and technology. These can strengthen our operations, and make a real difference in people’s lives.  And it requires the support of all Member States to ensure the safety and security of United Nations peacekeepers in the field, and the full implementation of the relevant privileges and immunities of the Organization and its personnel. We are deeply grateful for the support and for the concrete pledges so many of you will announce here tomorrow.  Excellencies,  With a budget shared by all 193 Member States and representing a tiny fraction of global military spending — around one half of one per cent — UN Peacekeeping remains one of the most effective and cost-effective tools to build international peace and security. 

 But it’s only as strong as Member States’ commitment to it.  Unfortunately, peacekeeping operations have been facing serious liquidity problems.   It is absolutely essential that all Member States respect their financial obligations, paying their contributions in full and on time.  Now more than ever, the world needs the United Nations.  And the United Nations needs peacekeeping that is fully equipped for today’s realities and tomorrow’s challenges.  Together, let’s shape the UN peacekeeping operations that the challenges require, that Member States demand, and that our peacekeepers and the people they support need and deserve.Thank you., filtered_html

 Mr. President, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, Next month marks the 80th anniversary of the United Nations Charter. The Charter is our roadmap to a better world – our owner’s manual setting out purposes and principles – and our practical guide to advancing the three pillars of our work: peace and security, development and human rights. Anniversaries are a time to look back and celebrate – but they are even more a time to cast our eyes to the future. It is only natural – especially in a period of turbulence and tumult – to look ahead and ask central questions:  How can we be the most effective Organization that we can be? How can we be more nimble, coordinated and fit to face the challenges of today, the next decade, and indeed the next 80 years? The UN80 Initiative is anchored in answering these questions – and equipping our organization in an era of extraordinary uncertainty. Yes, these are times of peril. But they are also times of profound opportunity and obligation. The mission of the United Nations is more urgent than ever.  And it is up to us to intensify our efforts to deliver the Sustainable Development Goals and be laser-focused on implementing the Pact for the Future with its many pathways to strengthen multilateralism. Excellences, Dès le premier jour de mon mandat, nous avons engagé un programme de réforme ambitieux visant à améliorer nos méthodes de travail – et nos résultats. Le système de développement repensé en est un exemple. Notre objectif commun a toujours été de rendre notre Organisation plus efficace, de simplifier les procédures, d'éliminer les doublons et de renforcer la transparence et la responsabilité de chacun. La crise de liquidités à laquelle nous sommes confrontés n'est pas nouvelle. Mais la conjoncture financière et politique actuelle rend nos efforts encore plus urgents. Ce qui est aujourd’hui en question, c’est l’essence même du multilatéralisme : ses valeurs, ses principes, et sa pérennité. Mais je perçois également, chez bon nombre d'entre vous, une grande détermination et volonté politique de forger une ONU plus forte que jamais – prête à relever les défis du XXIème siècle. Nous devons être à la hauteur de ce moment. Excellencies, As indicated in my letter of 11 March, the UN80 Initiative is structured around three key workstreams: First, we are striving to rapidly identify efficiencies and improvements under current arrangements. Second, we are reviewing the implementation of all mandates given to us by Member States. And third, we are undertaking consideration of the need for structural changes and programme realignment across the UN system. Under the first workstream on efficiencies and improvements, Under-Secretary-General Catherine Pollard is leading a Working Group for the Secretariat that is developing a management strategy to design a new business model for the Organization. The Working Group is focused on developing cost-reduction and efficiency-enhancement proposals in management and operations across the UN Secretariat. It is reviewing administrative functions to identify redundancies, streamline processes, and design integrated solutions – with cost-benefit analyses and clear implementation roadmaps. Priority areas include: Functional and structural consolidation; Workforce streamlining; Relocating services from high-cost duty stations; Centralizing IT and support services, and Expanding automation and digital platforms. While the Working Group’s immediate focus is on management and operational areas, the rest of the Secretariat will be expected to contribute towards the efficiency agenda.   For example, all Secretariat entities in New York and Geneva have been asked to review their functions to determine if any can be performed from existing, lower-cost locations, or may otherwise be reduced or abolished. This especially pertains to those functions that do not directly support inter-governmental bodies in New York and Geneva. With respect to the broader UN system, in April, the High-Level Committee on Management identified potential system-wide efficiency measures in areas such as human resources management, supply chain management and information and communications technologies. Concrete proposals are now being developed, including identifying services that system organizations can provide quicker, at a lower price or through more competitive contracts. This brings me to the second workstream: mandate implementation review. As stated in my 11 March letter, this workstream is about how the UN system implements mandates entrusted by Member States. We will not review the mandates themselves. Those are yours to decide on. Our job is to examine and report on how we carry them out, and our goal is to simplify and optimize how we do so.  Nearly twenty years ago, in 2006, an analysis of mandates and the “mandate-generation cycle” was carried out by the Secretariat. A number of problems were identified, including burdensome reporting requirements, overlap between and within organs, an unwieldy and duplicative architecture for implementation, and gaps between mandates and resources. But let’s be frank. Most of these problems are not only still with us – they have intensified. We must do better.  Our review will be conducted holistically – looking at the entire universe of mandates, and at the entirety of their implementation. This review, therefore, cannot be limited to the UN Secretariat, but it will start there. We have already completed an identification of all mandates reflected in the programme budget - and will soon do so for the rest of the system. The review has so far identified over 3,600 unique mandates for the Secretariat alone. It is now deepening its examination, clustering these mandates using various analytical lenses. After this analytical work, relevant entities and departments will be invited to identify opportunities for improvements and consolidation of efforts. This should result in the identification of duplications, redundancies, or opportunities for greater synergy on implementation. Naturally, based on this work, Member States may wish to consider the opportunity to conduct themselves a review of the mandates.     There can be no doubt that the thousands of mandates in place today – and our machinery to implement them – stretch the capacities of Member States, especially those with smaller missions, and the UN system beyond reason.  It is as if we have allowed the formalism and quantity of reports and meetings to become ends in themselves. The measure of success is not the volume of reports we generate or the number of meetings we convene.  The measure of success – the value, purpose and aim of our work – is in the real-world difference we make in the lives of people. This brings me to the third workstream: structural changes. Proposals on structural change and programme realignment are likely to emerge from the mandate implementation review. But we have already got the ball rolling by soliciting the views of a number of UN senior leaders. Their initial submissions – nearly 50 in all – show a high level of ambition and creativity. Last week, we deepened some of our ideas and thinking about structural changes in a dedicated session of the UN System Chief Executives Board for Coordination. I felt a strong sense of collective determination and responsibility from the leaders of UN entities – a shared resolve to strengthen the system and assume the challenge of change and renewal – and a united commitment to bring to you, our Member States, concrete and ambitious proposals for a renewed United Nations. The UN system is highly diverse consisting of organizations with a wide variety of structures and mandates.  To advance our three workstreams, I have established seven UN80 clusters – under the coordination of the UN80 Task Force and in close cooperation with the Secretariat Working Group. Each of the seven clusters bring together the organizations that contribute to a similar specific global objectives and similar areas of work. They will advance efforts in the three UN80 workstreams – identifying efficiencies and improvements, mandate implementation review, and possible structural changes. They will be managed at the Principals’ level and will consist of the following: Peace and security, coordinated by DPPA, DPO, OCT, and ODA; Development in the Secretariat and in development we have two clusters because the work in the Secretariat is very different from the work in the Agencies, but the two clusters will be working very closely together.  So development in the Secretariat is coordinated by DESA, UNCTAD, ECA, and UNEP; Development (UN System), coordinated by UNDP, UNOPS, UNICEF and DCO; Humanitarian, coordinated by the Emergency Relief Coordinator, WFP, UNICEF, UNHCR, and IOM; Human Rights, coordinated by OHCHR; Training and Research, coordinated by UNU and UNITAR; and finally Specialized Agencies, coordinated by ITU and ILO. They will be the locomotive force for concrete proposals. And they will operate at the high level of ambition that our times demand – and that also echo in large measure the calls contained in the Pact for the Future. Excellencies, In all three workstreams, my objective is to move as quickly as possible. Initiatives impacting on the [Proposed] Programme Budget for 2026 prepared under the coordination of the Secretariat Working Group will be included in the revised estimates for the 2026 budget to be presented in September. As you know, the budget for 2026, the proposal was already given to ACABQ some time ago and it will be impossible to change it at the present moment.  We will revise our proposals and present the revised version in September on time for the process to take place for the approval of the budget before the end of the year. Additional changes that require more detailed analysis will be presented in the proposal for the Proposed Programme Budget for 2027. We expect meaningful reductions in the overall budget level. For example, let me describe what is under consideration in the peace and security cluster. First – resetting DPPA and DPO, merging units, eliminating functional and structural duplications, getting rid of functions that are also exercised in other parts of the system. I believe we’ll be able to eliminate 20% of the posts of the two departments. Second – a similar exercise of streamlining the civilian part of Peacekeeping. Third - The consolidation within OCT of all counterterrorism activities spread in the system. Fourth – a review of the present structure of Regional Offices, Special Representatives and Envoys aiming at a consolidation of the system – with increased functionality and meaningful savings. The level of reduction of posts that I have outlined for DPPA and DPO must be seen as a reference for the wider UN80 exercise, naturally taking into account the specificities of each area of work. There might be immediate, one-off costs involved in relocating staff and providing potential termination packages. But by moving posts from high-cost locations, we can reduce our commercial footprint in those cities and reduce our post and non-post costs. We have already seen considerable savings in New York by terminating the lease of one building and moving staff into other existing premises – and we expect to close two more buildings when their leases expire in 2027 with considerable savings. While the regular budget is our immediate focus, the efficiency efforts will include the entire Secretariat across all funding streams. This will entail some difficult decisions as we assess structures and processes and seek meaningful efficiencies. The impact on Member State contributions will be visible for years. But we cannot achieve the efficiencies required unless we also focus on the programmatic areas of our work.  Dedicated outreach with the wider UN system is now underway, and will take profit of the work of the established clusters.  Additional proposals resulting from the other workstreams will be submitted to Member States for consideration as appropriate. Many changes will require the approval by the General Assembly this year and next. I will consult closely and regularly with Member States on progress, seeking guidance on the way forward, and presenting concrete proposals for discussion and decision-making when appropriate. We know that some of these changes will be painful for our UN family. Staff and their representatives are being consulted and heard. Our concern is to be humane and professional in dealing with any aspect of the required restructuring. Excellencies, The UN80 Initiative is a significant opportunity to strengthen the UN system and deliver for those who depend on us. It is central for implementing the Pact for the Future.  It is crucial for advancing the Sustainable Development Goals.  The needs of the people we serve must remain our guiding star. We must always stick to principles. We must never compromise core values. We must forever uphold the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. We will advance all this work so that our three pillars – peace and security, development and human rights – are mutually reinforced, and the geographical balance of our workforce and our gender and disability strategies will be preserved.  And we will be ever mindful of the interests of all Member States – developing countries, in particular. Your active engagement and support for the UN80 Initiative is vital to ensure that efforts are inclusive, innovative, and representative of the needs of all Member States. The success of the UN80 Initiative depends on all of us living up to our shared and complementary responsibilities. Many decisions ultimately are in your hands as Member States. Many of you have agreed that this must be the moment to be bold and ambitious. That is what our Organization needs – and that is what our times demand. Make no mistake – uncomfortable and difficult decisions lie ahead. It may be easier – and even tempting – to ignore them or kick the can down the road. But that road is a dead end. We cannot afford to act in any other way than with the highest level of ambition and common purpose. Let us seize this momentum with urgency and determination, and work together to build the strongest and most effective United Nations for today and tomorrow. And I thank you., filtered_html