Secretary-General’s remarks to the Fifth Committee of the General Assembly on the Proposed Programme Finances for 2026 | Secretary-General

Thank you for the chance to introduce the proposed programme finances for 2026.

I current it within the actually distinctive context of the UN80 Initiative – pushed by a robust sense of urgency and our clear ambition to make the Secretariat more practical, agile, resilient and cost-efficient. 

The proposed programme finances for 2026 includes three elements.

Part I, the plan define, comes earlier than you solely as soon as each three years.

Part II covers the programme plan for 2026 and programme efficiency info for 2024.

And Part III addresses the useful resource necessities for the programmes and subprogrammes.

Together, they mirror the priorities set by the General Assembly and lay the muse for daring, environment friendly proposals for subsequent 12 months – and past. 

We meet at a time of deepening geopolitical divides, rising inequalities, local weather disruption, and speedy technological change.

You, the Membership, have outfitted the Organization with new mandates and normative devices to fulfill these challenges and unlock alternatives. These are mirrored in, Part I, the plan define that units out the long-term priorities and goals of the Organization. 

It consists of key actions from the Pact for the Future – from defending civilians in armed conflicts and pursuing a future free from terrorism, to advancing nuclear disarmament.

It displays necessary new devices such because the UN Convention towards Cybercrime and Resolution 79/190 on combating illicit monetary flows and strengthening good practices on asset restoration.

The plan define additionally prominently highlights the Effective Functioning of the Organization – renewing my dedication to enhance our capacity to ship on mandates.

The proposed programme finances earlier than you demonstrates an enhanced deal with mandate supply. 

The programme plan – Part II – outlining the programme of labor of the Organization for 2026 – demonstrates our elevated results-orientation. 

Our outcomes frameworks proceed to enhance – exhibiting the actual impression of our work on folks’s lives. 

Over 70 % of deliberate quantitative targets now purpose for a ten per cent or higher enhance in efficiency – a major enchancment since we applied the finances reform. 

The annual cycle has enabled us to combine vital new mandates extra rapidly into our planning and to translate them into programmatic actions, deliverables and outcomes. 

The Pact for the Future, adopted final 12 months, is already mirrored all through the proposed programme plans for subsequent 12 months: 

Entities throughout the event system – from DESA to UNCTAD to the Regional Commissions – are supporting efforts to reform the worldwide monetary structure, transfer past GDP, promote knowledge governance, and be certain that the digital financial system advantages all;

DPPA is strengthening preventive diplomacy, mediation and peacebuilding assist, and deepening partnerships with regional and nationwide actors; 

Together with DPO, they’re embedding the Women, Peace and Security and Youth, Peace and Security agendas throughout their work – guaranteeing that peace efforts are inclusive, sustainable, and attentive to the wants of all;

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights is increasing its regional presence to ship mandates extra successfully and effectively.

Across the Secretariat, entities are constructing capability in innovation, knowledge analytics, digital transformation, strategic foresight and behavioural science – instruments important for a extra agile and responsive United Nations.

Together, these efforts mirror a United Nations that’s modernizing from inside — streamlining processes, harnessing expertise, and optimizing sources to ship higher outcomes for Member States.

Madam Chair, Distinguished delegates,

Since the beginning of my mandate, I’ve pursued reforms to make our Organization extra trendy, efficient, and cost-efficient. 

These efforts proceed. 

My proposed programme finances for 2026 of three.715 billion US {dollars} is barely beneath the 2025 authorised finances – excluding put up re-costing and main building tasks in Nairobi and underneath the Strategic Heritage Plan. 

This determine consists of funding for 37 Special Political Missions – reflecting a web lower as a result of liquidation of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq and the deliberate drawdown of the United Nations Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia. 

The proposed finances supplies for 14,275 posts – and displays our dedication to advance the three pillars of our work – peace and safety, growth, and human rights – in a balanced method.

We suggest to proceed supporting the Resident Coordinator System with a 53 million US {dollars} dedication authority for 2026 – equivalent to 2025.

The 50 million US {dollars} grant for the Peacebuilding Fund can also be maintained.

The proposed enhance of two million {dollars} for the Regular Programme of Technical Cooperation will primarily fund the institution of a harmonized fellowship programme throughout the 5 regional commissions – a 60 per cent enhance since 2019. 

We additionally suggest to strengthen OHCHR’s regional presence – notably in Addis Ababa, Bangkok, Beirut, Dakar, Panama City, Pretoria and Vienna – according to Member States’ request underneath the Pact for the Future.

Madam Chair,

While we try to make our Organization extra environment friendly and efficient, reform is finally about folks. 

My finances proposal continues to advance my imaginative and prescient for UN 2.0 – constructing a forward-thinking workforce tradition, empowered by cutting-edge abilities. 

As mirrored within the Global Digital Compact, harnessing digital expertise is central to this transformation. 

Gender equality and geographical illustration stay high priorities. 

In lower than two years, we’ve elevated balanced geographical illustration from 103 international locations to 128. 

We have maintained gender parity at senior ranges and are on monitor for full parity throughout the Organization earlier than 2028.

We will proceed working in the direction of parity at each stage and entity, guaranteeing our workforce actually displays the variety of our membership.

These efforts additionally rely on our capacity to recruit exterior candidates and fill vacancies – within the context of a liquidity disaster. 

Madam Chair,

Following the submission of the programme plans to the Committee on Programme and Coordination and the useful resource necessities to the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions earlier this 12 months, the Secretariat has performed a complete evaluation of its useful resource necessities for 2026.

This evaluation kinds a part of our efforts to determine measurable efficiencies throughout the Secretariat.

Last month, I shared with Member States an advance unedited model of the revised estimates report for the proposed programme finances for 2026 and the assist account for peacekeeping operations for the 2025/26 interval – which is now into consideration by the ACABQ. 

We could have the chance to have interaction in higher element later within the session – however permit me to briefly define these proposals.

The revised estimates report is a realistic response to evolving fiscal realities and Member States’ expectations. 

It is a deliberate and thought of adjustment to an already conservative proposal for 2026 – reflecting each the urgency and ambition of the reforms we’re enterprise.

I’m proposing to deliver the useful resource necessities for 2026 down to three.238 billion US {dollars} – a discount of 577 million {dollars}, or 15.1 per cent, in contrast with the 2025 appropriation. 

The proposed staffing desk is revised to 11,594 posts – together with SPMs – a discount of two,681 posts, or 18.8 per cent, in contrast with the authorised staffing desk for 2025. 

While the proposed reductions within the revised finances for 2026 are substantial, they’re fastidiously calibrated to take care of steadiness throughout the three pillars of our Organization.

They are focused at bigger Secretariat departments – with a deal with optimizing sources, streamlining administrative providers, consolidating features, lowering overlap, and exploring lower-cost supply fashions.

Programmes and actions immediately supporting Member States – notably Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries, Small Island Developing States, and advocacy for Africa’s growth – are protected. 

The revised estimates report additionally embody preliminary proposals ensuing from the primary workstream of the UN 80 Initiative:

Creating Common Administrative Platforms to supply administrative providers to Secretariat entities situated in every responsibility station – beginning with New York and Bangkok;

Consolidating payroll processing right into a single international workforce throughout three places;

And conducting a scientific evaluation by entities in New York and Geneva to determine features that may very well be carried out successfully in lower-cost responsibility stations.   

The revised estimates don’t change the proposed programme finances. 

Rather, they introduce focused changes to particular areas. 

In sensible phrases, these have an effect on about 15 per cent of the useful resource necessities – whereas 85 per cent of the proposed sources within the preliminary proposal stay indispensable. 

Together, they supply the premise for our finances proposal for 2026.

Madam Chair, Excellencies,

The finances earlier than you right now – and the significant reductions within the revised estimates report – reaffirm our dedication to develop into ever extra environment friendly and cost-effective. 

Looking forward, Workstreams 2 and three of the UN 80 Initiative are additionally underneath means. 

Any budgetary implications arising from these efforts shall be assessed rigorously and mirrored in future finances proposals in your consideration.

But success additionally is determined by Member States fulfilling their commitments. 

Ultimately, efficient supply in 2026 will rely on the well timed and full fee of assessed contributions.

Despite earlier hopes, the downward pattern of collections has continued.

The final two years have sadly seen a deterioration within the monetary scenario.

Strict spending restrictions in each 2024 and 2025 had been launched early on – and averted fee defaults.

But the Organization started 2025 with a money deficit of 135 million {dollars}.

High arrears of 760 million {dollars} as of the tip of 2024, nearly all of which weren’t recovered – and a big chunk could be very I might say unlikely to be recovered – coupled with 89 million {dollars} of credit to Member States as a part of their 2025 assessments – imply that we’ll gather lower than the authorised finances for 2025, even when Member States pay their contributions in full this 12 months. 

In early March, we set a spending discount goal of 600 million {dollars} for 2025 – practically 17 per cent of the finances. 

Without these restrictions, we’d have run out of money by August, jeopardizing the High-Level Week and having dramatic penalties on salaries for our employees. 

By the tip of September, we had collected solely 66.2 per cent of the 12 months’s assessments – in comparison with 78.1% final 12 months presently. 

Today – within the final quarter of 2025 – we nonetheless have important uncertainty concerning the collections for the 12 months.  

And given the current stage of uncertainty concerning the earnings, we may finish 2025 with a deficit of greater than 450 million {dollars}, even after lowering the spending by practically 600 million {dollars}. 

This will wipe out practically all our liquidity reserves and depart us extremely susceptible to any delays in collections subsequent 12 months.

We are additionally required to return 300 million in credit to Member States firstly of 2026. 

That represents practically 10% of the finances for 2026 that we’ll not gather even when all Member States pay their dues in full. 

More uncertainty about collections and any delays in collections early within the 12 months will pressure us to scale back spending much more. 

We will once more spend lower than the finances in 2026 as a result of we didn’t gather sufficient. 

That will most likely result in a collapse of the common functioning of our group.

And then doubtlessly face the prospect of returning 600 million {dollars} in 2027 or about 20% of the finances.

That means a race to chapter. 

Unless arrears are considerably diminished or the return of credit is suspended, this can constrain the implementation of the programme finances earlier than you. 

Drastic money conservation measures will once more be inevitable subsequent 12 months, to avert a fee default and threaten the core of our actions – except collections this 12 months are ample to replenish the liquidity reserves.

That is why I’ve as soon as once more proposed that the General Assembly briefly droop the return of credit towards the 2026 evaluation creating naturally an account during which the rights of nations to obtain again that cash as quickly as it’s obtainable will happen. 

My report on Improving the Financial Situation of the United Nations – fast-tracked earlier this 12 months in your consideration – proposes a mechanism to droop credit score returns each time liquidity shortfalls threaten full finances implementation of the next 12 months. 

The Membership didn’t attain a choice, and the report was deferred to this session. 

Failure to achieve an settlement on addressing the deteriorating liquidity scenario may jeopardize vital components of our programme of labor.

So as soon as once more, I urge Member States to contemplate these proposals fastidiously and to fulfill their monetary obligations – in full and on time.

Madame la Présidente, Mesdames et Messieurs les délégués,

Dans un monde où les ressources diminuent tandis que les besoins augmentent, notre mission est plus urgente et plus importante que jamais.

L’Initiative UN80 vise à définir un cap vers une Organisation plus souple, plus résiliente, et pleinement adaptée à sa mission.

Je me réjouis de l’opportunité d’échanger avec vous – aujourd’hui et dans les semaines à venir – afin de faire avancer ces propositions.

Mon équipe et moi nous tenons à votre entière disposition pour accompagner vos travaux.

Je vous remercie.