Delegates in the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today opened their eighty-first session with urgent calls for the Organization’s financial stability as it undergoes reform meant to keep it relevant in a rapidly changing world.
General Assembly President Khalilur Rahman (Bangladesh) stressed that financial sustainability, mandate discipline and accountability must go together and reform must run deeper than rearranging structures. Efficiency must ultimately by judged by results on the ground. “You are, in a very real sense, the circulatory system of the Organization, carrying the resources that sustain its work”, he said. He urged delegates to examine the Organization’s working methods so the United Nations can keep pace with a rapidly changing world. “Harnessing new and innovative technologies improve efficiency and quality of work, reduce cost and deliver better results for the people we serve,” he said.
Deeply concerned about the Organization’s financial situation and recognizing the historic decision made last year to approve a new methodology for the return of credits, Uruguay’s representative, speaking for the Group of 77 and China, said this decision “in no way substitutes for the obligation of all Member States to pay their assessed contributions in full, on time and without conditions”. The unilateral, persistent withholding of contributions, late payments and accumulated arrears continue to undermine mandate implementation and place an unfair burden on Member States that fulfil their obligations. Also essential is equitable geographical representation among UN staff.
‘Spend Better’, Be More Transparent, Make Multilateralism Deliver for All
Noting the Organization is at “a pivotal moment”, the European Union’s representative said reforms under way as the Organization prepares for a new Secretary-General are an opportunity to reinforce a commitment to effective multilateralism that “delivers for all”. Stressing that the UN cannot be effective without adequate payment and funding of all its mandates, he called on all Member States to meet their responsibilities “without delay”. The Committee’s working methods should reflect the principles that underpin the Assembly’s revitalization. “We strongly advocate for transparent and inclusive proceedings,” he said, noting that multilingualism is a core and fundamental UN value.
Singapore’s delegate, speaking for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), said Member States paying their required dues is a UN Charter obligation. “In an organization founded on the rule of law, the payment of assessed contributions must also be subject to the rule of law”, he said, adding that the Organization must spend wisely as it reduces duplication, waste and inefficiency. “Financial prudence is not about cutting for the sake of cutting. It is about making better use of limited resources, with a clear focus on implementation, mandate delivery, and impact on the ground”, he said, stressing: “Our task is not simply to spend more, or to spend less. It is to spend better”.
Host Country Demands Immediate Adjustments during Current Session
The United States’ representative said the Committee made historic reforms last year that no one thought were possible by consensus. While the proposed 2027 regular budget, a 4.3 per cent decrease, builds on last year’s momentum, “more must be done” this year. Reforms must address the proliferation of senior leaders, he said, insisting that they cannot proliferate while junior posts absorb the majority of cuts. Washington, D.C., demands immediate adjustments be made in this session rather than waiting until 2028. Noting the United States is the UN’s largest funder, he said it expects outcomes and not intentions. “Consequential reform is possible”, he said, noting that the Organization must “respect the taxpayers who fund this work”.
China’s representative said the Organization must adhere to strict economies, reduce bureaucracy and enforce fiscal discipline. Programme planning must be driven by Member States, he stressed.
Transparent Negotiations, Better Working Methods, Documents Delivered on Time
Speaking for the Gulf Cooperation Council, Bahrain’s delegate said transparency is critical during negotiations. Noting the Gulf States fulfil their obligation in full and on time, he urged all Member States to do the same to ease the Organization’s liquidity crisis. Moreover, the Committee must improve its working methods as it transfers its work onto the new Secretary-General.
Djibouti’s representative, speaking for the African Group, stressed that documents must be issued on time in all six official languages. “It is an essential condition for the full and effective participation of all delegations, particularly smaller delegations”, he said. Delays should not subsequently be compensated for with compressed negotiating schedules.
Australia’s delegate, speaking also for Canada and New Zealand, said “none of us should consider spending Christmas here”. As the reform process is extended, the Committee must support efficiencies and eliminate duplication. A “culture of continuous improvement” is needed, he stressed.
Jamaica’s representative, speaking for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), agreed that reform must be guided by mandates and “cannot be driven by liquidity constraints alone”. CARICOM will focus on special political missions and the resident coordinator system, which requires adequate predictable and sustainable funding.
Relief for Countries Unable to Pay Assessed Contributions Due to Circumstances Beyond Their Control
On the scale of assessments, the Committee on Contributions concluded — as laid out in its eighty-sixth session report (document A/81/11), introduced by its Chair, Bernardo Greiver — that under Article 19 of the UN Charter, the failure of Sao Tome and Principe to pay the full minimum amount due on time to avoid the Article’s implication was beyond that Member State’s control. It recommended the delegation be permitted to vote until this session’s end.
Uruguay’s representative, speaking again for the Group of 77, while firmly rejecting the unilateral and persistent withholding of contributions “as a means of exerting influence over or pressure on the Organization”, recognized that some developing countries face special circumstances beyond their control — a matter that should be addressed urgently.
Since the inception of multi-year payment plans in 2022, seven Member States have successfully implemented such plans, letting them fully pay their assessed contributions, said Chandru Ramanathan, Assistant Secretary-General, Office of Programme Planning, Finance and Budget and UN Controller, who introduced the Secretary-General’s report on such plans (document A/81/66). As of 31 December 2025, there were no plans submitted to the Secretariat.
Calls for Increased Funds to UN Partnerships Office
Last year, the UN Fund for International Partnerships disbursed $25.1 million throughout the UN system, stated Annemarie Hou, Executive Director of the UN Office for Partnerships, as she presented the Secretary-General’s annual report outlining the Office’s 2025 priorities (A/81/268). The UN Democracy Fund, which agreed to support 30 new civil society projects promoting human rights and democratic participation, saw financial contributions fall sharply to $1.95 million; the 2026 contributions “present further decline”.
Concerned by this sharp drop, Uruguay’s representative, on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, urged Member States, donors and other stakeholders to enhance voluntary contributions to both that Fund and the Partnerships Fund “enabling them to respond to the growing needs of developing countries”.