Director-General's remarks at the Briefing for the Like-Minded Group on the UN80 Initiative

Special Briefing for the Like-Minded Group on the UN80 Initiative
Friday, 5 September 2025 at 10.00 a.m.
Room XXIV, Palais des Nations

Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,

Let me begin by expressing my sincere appreciation to the Permanent Mission of China for convening this special briefing at such a pivotal moment — just weeks ahead of the opening of the 80th UN General Assembly. I also extend sincere thanks to Ambassador Chen Xu and all members of the Like-Minded Group present today for your steadfast commitment to multilateralism and your active engagement in shaping the future of our United Nations.

This year marks a historic milestone: the 80th anniversary of the United Nations — and, poignantly, the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. We honor, with solemn gratitude, the millions who gave their lives, and we pay tribute to the collective resolve of the Allied nations, whose unity and sacrifice not only secured the victory over fascism but laid the moral and political foundation for the creation of the United Nations and the international order we strive to uphold today.

Throughout 2025, this anniversary is being commemorated with high-level events, including the UN General Assembly’s special meeting on the signing of the UN Charter on 26 June, and the upcoming High-Level General Assembly meeting on 22 September.

As the UN Secretary-General emphasized in his recent address to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Tianjin, the 80th anniversary is not only a moment of reflection — it is a call to action. A call to reinvigorate multilateral cooperation, reform the global financial architecture, and renew our shared promise to deliver peace, dignity, and prosperity for all.

The UN80 Initiative is our blueprint for that renewal. Its vision is clear: to build a stronger United Nations that delivers for people — especially at a time when we are called to do more with less. This means making the Organization:

•    More agile, responsive, and resilient.
•    Better equipped to serve those whose very lives depend on our work.
•    More accountable to taxpayers across the globe, who underwrite our efforts.
•    More supportive of UN staff, whose dedication drives our mission forward.

We are committed to maximizing limited resources, streamlining administrative processes, and aligning the UN System to meet rising global needs with unity and purpose.
But let us be clear: the success of this initiative will not be measured in reports or resolutions. It will be measured by the real-world impact we deliver — because our mandates and budgets are not abstract figures. They are lifelines for millions.

Let me remind you that the UN80 Initiative is structured around three workstreams:

1.    Efficiencies – Enhancing management and operations within current arrangements.
2.    Mandate Implementation – Reviewing how mandates are executed, identifying duplications, and streamlining processes.
3.    Structural Change and Program Realignment – Exploring potential changes to the architecture of the UN System to improve coherence, resource use, and impact.

These efforts build upon the reforms already undertaken over the past eight years in development, management, and peace and security. They are being pursued in parallel, with full respect for intergovernmental processes and Member State leadership.

The UN Secretary-General’s report on the review of mandate implementation was released on 1 August 2025. It examines how the Organization’s mandates are created, delivered and reviewed, and offers proposals for the consideration of Member States to strengthen each of these functions.

Here in Geneva, UNOG has been actively engaged in the Efficiencies workstream through a Working Group chaired by the USG for Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance, Ms. Catherine Pollard. Concrete proposals have emerged such as Payroll consolidation. For UNOG this will mean cutting some positions, since Payroll will no longer be processed here. Another proposal for Common Administrative Platforms will be implemented first in New York and Bangkok. UNOG is closely following this, particularly the consolidation of Executive Offices at Headquarters to see what might be replicated across various UN Secretariat entities in Geneva.

At the same time, a revised budget proposal for 2026 is under review by the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions.  A 20% reduction in posts and a 15% reduction of the overall budget has been put forward as requested by the UN Secretary General. If the General Assembly approves the revised budget proposal, UNOG will have to downsize staff on occupied posts and not just vacant posts. As a mitigation measure, an Early Separation Programme is currently underway.

My top priority remains fulfilling UNOG’s core mandate as a hub for conferencing and multilateralism. But the scale of these proposed cuts means that most services will be reduced, and some services will be discontinued completely.  For example, webcasting will no longer be available for some meetings. It will also mean reduced opening hours of gates and longer waiting times at security posts, including the identification desks.

Moreover, as many entities organizing meetings at the Palais des Nations face reduced budgets, we anticipate a continued decrease in the number of meetings at the Palais des Nations. This trend has already been observed since the beginning of the year, both in terms of the number of meetings and the volume of documentation workload. This will, in turn mean fewer resources for conference management and an even more limited capacity to provide conference services. 

Once again, I want to highlight that Member States are of course the main architects in this reform process. Ultimately, nearly all decisions arising from the UN80 initiative will rest in your hands. Here in Geneva, we remain committed to consulting closely and regularly with you, seeking your guidance, and presenting concrete proposals for your consideration.

Let me share a positive story with you. On 29 July 2025, we inaugurated the Assembly Hall after having modernized it – it was a remarkable achievement for us, and even more remarkable was to do it in the presence of Speakers of Parliament gathered here for their Summit – with many speakers from your countries witnessing for themselves the importance of Geneva as a global center of multilateralism. As we embark on the final stage of our Strategic Heritage Plan – and I will brief Member States in more detail next week – we are grateful to Member States who have approved the needed increase of the SHP budget for their vision to strengthen the importance of the Palais des Nations even further despite the challenging financial outlook. Just as your predecessors in the 1920s who – despite difficulties of those days – decided to build this palace embodying international cooperation for the succeeding generations.

Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,

This is a moment of renewal. The world is facing cascading crises and interconnected challenges — from climate change and conflict to inequality and technological disruption. But it is also a moment of opportunity. With vision, unity and resolve, we can shape a United Nations that is fit for purpose, fit for the future, and fit for the people it serves.

At the heart of this transformation lies the Pact for the Future—a global promise to reinvigorate international cooperation. It provides a roadmap to:

•    Address pressing global challenges.
•    Fast-track the Sustainable Development Goals.
•    Strengthen global governance for the 21st century.

Here in Geneva, the Pact resonates across our ecosystem — from humanitarian coordination to human rights, from disarmament to health and trade. Geneva’s unique multilateral landscape is essential to translating the Pact’s vision into tangible progress.

Let us seize this 80th anniversary not only to commemorate the past, but to chart a bold course forward.

Thank you.