UN (AP) – Over 60 UN offices, agencies, and operations have received directives to propose a 20% reduction in staff by mid-June. Significant reform initiatives aim to consolidate operations amid a pressing funding crisis.
According to United Nations spokesperson Stephane Dujarric, the cuts will impact approximately 14,000 positions, translating to about 2,800 posts being eliminated.
These reductions will affect staff in the United Nations political and humanitarian offices, as well as agencies supporting refugees, promoting gender equality, and addressing areas like international trade, the environment, and urban development. UNRWA, the agency for Palestinian refugees, is also included in this initiative.
In a memo addressed to the impacted institutions, UN controller Chandra Urira Manathan mentioned that the workforce reduction aligns with Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ objective of achieving a 15% to 20% cut in the current UN budget of $3.7 billion.
This cut is part of the UN80 Reform Initiative, announced by Guterres in March as the organization approaches its 80th anniversary later this year.
The UN chief dismissed comparisons to reducing foreign aid and other programs initiated by President Donald Trump. Instead, he highlighted how it would diminish the UN’s resources over the past seven years, noting that not all member states fulfill their annual membership fees on time.
The United States, the world’s largest economy, is anticipated to contribute 22% of the regular budget, while China, the second-largest economy, has recently increased its share to 20%. Last year, 152 out of 193 UN member states paid their full dues, including China, while 41, including the United States, did not.
An executive order from February 4th mandated that funding to all international organizations, including the United Nations, be contingent upon the U.S. participation within 180 days.
Memos from the controller obtained Thursday night by The Associated Press advise agency heads to streamline “features based on efficiency; prioritize based on impact; target redundancies, overlaps, or noncritical features or roles for integration or elimination.”
Guterres, alongside his past predecessors, has been working on reforming the United Nations established post-World War II, adapting it to contemporary challenges with evolving technologies and changing global dynamics.
A key point is that while the Secretary-General functions as the UN’s CEO, ultimate authority resides with the 193 member states.
Proposed reductions are to be submitted to the controller by June 13th, as Dujarric indicated that these will be incorporated into the proposed budget for 2026, aimed for adoption at the General Assembly in December.
The UN’s 11 peacekeeping missions are financed through separate budgets, with many of its distant institutions and operations relying heavily on voluntary contributions, such as the Rome-based World Food Programme (WFP).
Numerous UN agencies had already planned job cuts and other cost-saving measures, particularly due to funding reductions from the US, warning that vital relief programs would face severe impacts as a result.
The WFP anticipates staffing reductions of up to 30%, while the head of the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) noted intentions to decrease staff and regional offices by 30% and to cut senior-level positions by 50%, according to an internal memo acquired by the AP.
Other agencies, including UNICEF and the UN Humanitarian Agency (OCHA), have also announced or are planning cuts.
Source: apnews.com