General Assembly Adopts Resolution Urging Action on Secretary-General’s Initiative to Modernize United Nations System
The General Assembly today adopted, by consensus, a resolution welcoming the Secretary-General’s efforts to strengthen the United Nations so that the Organization can keep pace with a changing world and be fit for present and future challenges.
That text, titled “UN80 Initiative” (document A/79/L.99) also saw the Assembly look forward to receiving the Secretary-General’s proposals in the framework of that initiative, “taking into account the necessity to have clearly defined objectives and an evidence-based approach, and aiming at strengthening the impact of the United Nations and enhancing its agility, responsiveness and resilience while addressing the issue of duplicative efforts and ensuring effective and efficient mandate delivery across all three pillars of the work of the United Nations”.
Further, the Assembly called on UN entities and specialized agencies to align their reform efforts with this approach, as appropriate.
Following the adoption, the representative of Japan underlined her country’s commitment to multilateralism and the UN80 Initiative. Detailing her delegation’s understanding that the UN is drawing lessons from previous reforms where “negotiations on mandates faced deadlock between Member States”, she said that today’s resolution “is not intended to obstruct these efforts but, rather, to support and complement them”.
However, several speakers took issue with the timing of today’s resolution.
The representative of Switzerland, also speaking for Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, welcomed that today’s resolution recognizes the importance of Member States providing the Secretary-General with the necessary space and political backing for the UN80 Initiative. However, he added: “We were not fully convinced that the timing of this resolution was optimal or conducive to the ongoing discussions.”
The representative of Australia, also speaking for Canada and New Zealand, emphasized that discussions concerning the UN80 Initiative should be based on clear, robust advice and proposals from the Secretary-General. Further, they should be grounded in evidence-based, documented analysis. “So, we believe a resolution at this stage is premature,” she said, pointing out that “it risks limiting both the scope and ambition of forthcoming proposals”.
Similarly, Denmark’s representative, speaking for the European Union and its member States, expressed regret that “the process leading to the adoption of this resolution was premature and unnecessarily rushed”. The limited time available for meaningful consultation and reflection did not allow for the constructive engagement required. And, while the text aims to address duplication and promote efficiency, he stressed that the process leading to its adoption — “regrettably did not reflect these principles”.
Following those statements, the representative of the Russian Federation took the floor to exercise the right of reply. Recalling that his delegation conducted several rounds of consultations — “and, most importantly, took into account the red lines specified by delegations” — he urged the European Union to take such an approach in future negotiations. Thanking those present for their consensus support, he said: “It is because we seek success in the UN’s adaptation to current and future challenges that the Russian Federation presented this draft.”