Mandate
Housed at the Palais des Nations, the United Nations Office at Geneva (UN Geneva) serves as the representative office of the Secretary-General at Geneva. A focal point for multilateral diplomacy, UN Geneva serviced more than 10,000 meetings a year before the COVID-19 pandemic, making it one of the busiest conference centres in the world. It is also the biggest duty station outside the United Nations headquarters in New York, with more than 1,600 staff.
Through its daily activities, UN Geneva significantly contributes to the global United Nations’ efforts to maintain international peace and security, advance disarmament, protect and promote human rights, eradicate poverty, implement sustainable development practices, and provide fast, effective humanitarian relief in emergencies. Every year, UN Geneva welcomes many dignitaries and high-level delegations as they participate in bilateral exchanges, intergovernmental meetings, conferences, and other important events dedicated to sharing and exchanging information.
To effectively represent the Secretary-General, UN Geneva performs important liaison duties. It coordinates with permanent missions, the Swiss Host Government and other national Governments, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, research and academic institutions, as well as regional organizations and other organizations of the United Nations common system based in Geneva. UN Geneva also plays a crucial role in facilitating inter-agency cooperation between these various actors.
UN Geneva provides administrative and operational support to more than 40 UN system entities in Europe and their field offices around the world. It manages the United Nations facilities in Geneva and provides conference services for the United Nations system meetings held at Geneva and at other locations. UN Geneva also provides a platform for cultural exchanges through the various cultural activities it organizes year-round.
UN Geneva is headed by a Director-General at the level of Under-Secretary-General who is accountable to the Secretary-General.
Organizational Chart
Finance and Budget
The Chief Executives Board Financial Statistics database is the only comprehensive source of financial statistics for the organizations of the United Nations system. Data is collected for the 33 United Nations organizations. Wherever possible, the figures are based on official data as per organizations’ audited financial statements. This data is now collected annually by the CEB Secretariat, as originally mandated by the Administrative Committee on Coordination. The CEB also uses this data to issue a report to the General Assembly.
In its resolution 63/311 on system-wide coherence, the Assembly requested the Secretary-General to create a central repository of information on operational activities for development, including disaggregated statistics on all funding sources and expenditures and to ensure appropriate and user-friendly online access and regular updating of the information contained therein. The CEB Financial Statistics database is also the data source of the DESA Report on the Operational Activities for Development.
