UN Secretary-General António Guterres says the UN prioritises reform to ensure it remains effective, cost-efficient and responsive to the people it serves as part of a continued push to modernise the organisation.

Speaking to reporters at UN Headquarters in New York on Wednesday, Mr Guterres stated that the reforms were not just about internal processes but aimed at delivering tangible improvements in peace, development and humanitarian aid – all while ensuring that public funds are used wisely and transparently.

As the UN turns 80 this year, the UN80 Initiative builds on ongoing efforts, including the Pact for the Future and UN 2.0, which aim to update the UN’s structures, priorities, and operations for the 21st century.

Since taking office in 2017, Guterres has led a comprehensive reform agenda focused on simplifying procedures, decentralising decision-making, enhancing transparency and prioritising data and digital capacity to make the UN more efficient and cost-effective.

Under the UN80 Initiative, the UN chief said that a dedicated internal task force led by Under-Secretary-General Guy Ryder will develop proposals in three key areas.

These include identifying efficiencies and improvements, reviewing the implementation of mandates from Member States, and a strategic review of deeper, more structural changes and programme realignment.

These efforts go “far beyond the technical,” Mr Guterres said. “Budgets at the United Nations are not just numbers on a balance sheet – they are a matter of life and death for millions around the world.”

As of March 11, only 75 of the 193 member states have paid their assessed contributions in full towards the $3.72 billion 2025 budget for the organisation – approved by the General Assembly in December 2024.

(NAN)