UN wants 20% staff decrease to address funding crisis
The UN is aiming for a 20% reduction in its workforce to address a significant funding shortfall. Over 60 United Nations offices, agencies, and operations have been instructed to present proposals by mid-June aimed at reducing their workforce by 20 percent. This initiative is part of a significant reform effort to streamline operations amid a pressing funding crisis.
The reductions impact approximately 14,000 positions funded by the regular budget, which translates to around 2,800 roles, as stated by UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric during a press briefing on Friday. Included are personnel in the UN’s political and humanitarian offices, along with its agencies that assist refugees, advocate for gender equality, and address issues related to international trade, the environment, and urban development. The UN agency that provides assistance to Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, is likewise included on the list.
UN Controller Chandramouli Ramanathan stated in a memo to the affected agencies that the staff reductions are aligned with Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ objective of attaining a budget decrease of between 15 per cent and 20 per cent from the UN’s current budget of USD 3.72 billion. The reductions are integral to the UN80 reform initiative introduced by Guterres in March, coinciding with the approaching 80th anniversary of the global organization later this year.
The UN chief has rejected any connection between the reductions in foreign aid and other initiatives by US President Donald Trump. He has instead highlighted the diminishing resources of the UN over the past seven years, attributing this to the fact that not all member states fulfill their annual financial obligations, and many do not make timely payments. The United States, holding the position of the world’s largest economy, is anticipated to contribute 22 percent of the regular budget, whereas China, now the second-largest economy, has recently seen its share increased to 20 percent.
In the previous year, 152 out of the 193 member nations of the UN fulfilled their financial obligations in full, with China among those compliant, while 41 nations, including the United States, fell short of this requirement. The controller’s memo, acquired Thursday night by The Associated Press, provides guidance to agency heads regarding which positions to eliminate: Evaluate functions in terms of their efficiency; Prioritize based on impact; Identify redundant, overlapping, or non-critical functions or roles for consolidation or abolition.
Guterres and his predecessors over the decades have faced challenges in reforming the United Nations, an institution founded in the aftermath of World War II, aiming to adapt it to contemporary realities marked by shifting power dynamics, advancements in technology, and increasing global divisions. One key problem is that while the secretary-general serves as the UN’s chief executive, authority is concentrated among the 193 member nations, each possessing distinct perspectives on the UN and global affairs. The proposed cuts are required to be submitted to the controller by June 13. Dujarric stated that they will be included in Guterres’ proposed 2026 budget, which is set to be adopted by the General Assembly in December.
The UN’s 11 peacekeeping missions are supported by a distinct budget, while numerous remote agencies and operations rely solely on voluntary contributions, such as the Rome-based World Food Programme, referred to as WFP. Numerous UN agencies had been preparing to reduce their workforce or implement cost-cutting measures, with officials highlighting funding decreases primarily from the United States and cautioning that essential relief programs will face significant repercussions as a consequence. The WFP is projected to reduce its workforce by as much as 30 per cent, while the head of the U.N. refugee agency UNHCR indicated plans to downsize its headquarters and regional offices, aiming for a 30 per cent reduction in costs and a 50 per cent cut in senior-level positions, as per internal memos acquired by the AP. Other agencies, including UNICEF, the UN children’s agency, and OCHA, the UN humanitarian agency, have also announced or plan to implement reductions.
