EU Statement - ECOSOC Operational Activities Segment: Dialogue on UN development system funding

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Chair, Excellencies, Colleagues,

I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.

We meet today at a defining moment for the United Nations Development System. The challenges before us—climate change, poverty, inequality, and conflict—demand urgent, collective action. Yet, the UN’s ability to deliver is under threat. Funding is declining, and the gap between ambition and available resources is widening.

The EU and its Member States remain the largest donor to the UN development system. In 2025 alone, the EU and its Member States contributed over €10 billion to support the UN’s work—from humanitarian aid to long-term development, from health to education, from climate action to peacebuilding. We do this because we believe in the UN and its development system, which is in the focus of our discussion today.

We believe that in order to respond to the competitive geopolitical context and the tightening funding environment, we need to rebuild trust and focus on coherence and results. 

First, trust. Donors must see that their contributions are used efficiently, transparently, and effectively. The UN must demonstrate that every contribution to UNDS delivers tangible impact for the people who need it most. That means reducing bureaucracy, cutting duplication, and ensuring accountability at every level.

Second, coherence. We must shift the balance towards more predictable funding that allows the UNDS to act as one system, not a collection of competing agencies.

Third, and crucially, results. The UNDS does not need more reports, more meetings, or more processes. It needs action so that it can deliver with more impact on the ground for the people we serve. The Funding Compact was a step in the right direction—yet its implementation remains uneven. We must accelerate progress, ensuring that Resident Coordinators have the authority and resources to lead integrated responses, and that UN country teams are held accountable for delivering on the Sustainable Development Goals.

The EU will continue to invest in the UN Development System and we stand ready to support reforms coming from the UN80 process. At the same time, we expect stepping up from the system functioning as a one, with strong Resident coordinators at the forth front of a more coherent, efficient, and results-oriented development architecture. 

Thank you.