EU Statement -- Briefing on the Report of the Secretary-General on the UN80 Initiative

Mr. President, Mr. Secretary-General, distinguished colleagues, 

I deliver this intervention on behalf of the EU and its member states.

Thank you, Mr. President, for convening us today. Thank you, Secretary-General and the UN80 Task Force for the timely submission of the first report on [Workstream 2 of] your UN80 Initiative. We also thank you for today’s briefing, which provides additional context for our analysis of the findings already shared. We will now have to carefully study the proposals and come back to you with further assessments. 

We appreciate the Secretariat’s continued engagement with Member States throughout this process. The EU fully supports the UN80 Initiative as a vital opportunity to ensure that the United Nations becomes stronger, more efficient, more agile, financially sustainable and accountable - while preserving the integrity and balance of the three interlinked and reinforcing UN pillars on an equal basis. The European Union will remain a predictable, reliable, and credible partner and welcomes the opportunity to work together with partners, as well as with the UN and its agencies in driving forward the internal reform process.

Let me highlight the EU’s key considerations regarding mandate implementation:

• Through an ambitious consolidation of mandates, UN80 should strengthen the UN’s resilience and its ability for effective and coherent mandate implementation across the 3 pillars, while we underline that the core normative mandates must be protected. The overarching goal is to reduce fragmentation and duplication, enhance transparency and accountability, and explore opportunities for greater synergies and a more strategic, impact-driven and evidence-based approach. This must be done with broad UN ownership and in a way that avoids that only certain specialized agencies, programmes and funds bear the brunt of the need to reform in light of the ongoing funding crisis.

• Only with a result-oriented approach and impact at the country level will we be able to ensure the enduring viability of a resilient United Nations—capable of delivering for the people it is meant to serve. Achieving this will require prioritizing, simplifying processes, acting within a specified timeframe, and improving integration and coordination, including through enhanced interagency cooperation and a strengthened Resident Coordinator System. We are aware that it is us, Member States who have given these mandates, and it is upon us with the cooperation from the Secretariat and the UN system to find the best possible solution.

In closing, we reiterate our appreciation for the Secretary-General’s efforts and the Secretariat’s openness to dialogue. We stand ready to explore how the findings of this report can lead to meaningful and sustainable improvements across the UN’s work and we maintain our readiness to be involved in the next steps of the process.

The EU and its Member states will remain unwavering in their commitment to the UN. You can count on us to continue to be constructive partners. 

Thank you.