EU Statement – UN General Assembly Fifth Committee First Resumed Session: Human Resources Management

Madame Chair,

I have the honor to speak on behalf of the Member States of the European Union.

The Candidate Countries Türkiye, North Macedonia^*, Montenegro^*, Albania^*, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina^* and Georgia, as well as Monaco and San Marino align themselves with this statement.

At the outset, I would like to acknowledge the presence of the Assistant Secretary-General for Human Resources Management as well as Chair of the ACABQ. I thank them for presenting the reports under this agenda item.

The heart of this Organization lies in its most valuable asset: its dedicated staff. In challenging moments and when opportunities arise, it is their unwavering commitment and resilience that make the decisive difference. The women and men who work at the United Nations are instrumental to deliver the Organization’s mandates, to uphold its principles, and to defend its values.

Recognizing this, the effective management of human resources is central to building an agile, accountable, and resilient United Nations—one that drives progress and fosters a culture of ethics and transparency, as envisioned by the Secretary-General’s reforms and reaffirmed by Member States in the Pact for the Future.

The adoption of resolution 77/278 two years ago marked the culmination of extensive negotiations. The reports before us today demonstrate that our negotiated outcomes require time for implementation, and as a Committee, we need adequate time to assess the consequences of our mandates. The lack of agreement last year prompts us to consider reinstating this agenda item to its biennial schedule. Simultaneously, we reaffirm our deepest conviction that achieving consensus is essential to provide the Secretariat with the guidance necessary for effective human resources management.

Madame Chair,

The proposed “ways forward in the implementation of human resources management reforms for the period 2023–2026” are laying grounds for a results-looking, needs-responsive, integrated, and modern human resource management system, focused on diversity, agility, and accountability.

Diversity

We are convinced that, as set out in the UN Charter, the workforce of the Organization should continue to embody the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, while reflecting the diversity of the people it serves. We continue to support the Organization’s efforts to further enhance its workforce diversity, in all its components:

• We encourage further system-wide efforts towards achieving gender parity and the empowerment of women at all levels, including in the field;
• We emphasize that due regard shall be paid to attracting and retaining talent on as wide a geographical basis as possible;
• We insist on the need to ensure access of persons with disabilities;
• We repeat our call to rejuvenate the Organization, and acquire and retain young talents;
• We reiterate the importance of multilingualism and the need for linguistic diversity to be adequately reflected in the human resources management of the UN.
• We believe that racisim has not place at the UN.

Talent outreach and well-structured internship programs are key priorities that we take very seriously, as they are essential to attracting and developing the next generation of UN staff in accordance with article 101 of the UN Charter.

Agility

We strongly believe in the fundamental importance of a comprehensive and strategic workforce planning system. Planning and selection should be closely aligned, and the recruitment process must ensure that the Organization attracts and hires the most suitable candidates with the right skill sets, meeting the 120-day target for staff selection. Staff Selection 2.0 should not merely be an objective but an effective and tangible reality. The Organization should actively promote career development and enhanced learning opportunities, particularly in challenging environments. Furthermore, the effective implementation of the mobility framework is essential to fulfilling UN mandates, ensuring that staff morale and motivation are carefully considered.

Accountability

As a cornerstone of Management Reform and an integral part of the delegation of authority, we remain deeply committed to implementing a strong and robust accountability framework. For an agile, motivated, and healthy workforce, an effective performance management system must be in place at all levels—one that incentivizes and rewards excellence while also addressing underperformance. This system should actively prevent all forms of discrimination, address misconduct with a survivor/victim-centered approach, and make zero tolerance a reality. Ensuring an Organization free from discrimination, harassment—including sexual harassment—and sexual exploitation and abuse must be a shared priority.

Madame Chair,

When discussing the Organization’s most essential resource—its staff— we recognize the importance of carefully considering the Organization’s financial situation. Member States have the responsibility to determine mandates and allocate resources for their implementation, ensuring that liquidity constraints do not become the driving factor in decision-making should be a common priority.

The European Union and its Member States are committed to working constructively with all groups and delegations to reach a consensual HRM resolution that offers clear and robust guidance to the Secretariat and UN staff. We will work tirelessly with you and all members of the Fifth Committee to achieve this goal.

I thank you Madame Chair.

* North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.