Secretary-General outlines UNAT initiative to streamline United Nations operations, says reforms alone won’t solve liquidity crisis

Secretary-General António Guterres on Thursday outlined a three-part reform plan called the UNAT initiative (also referred to as UN 80) to identify efficiencies, review how member-state mandates are implemented and consider structural changes across the United Nations system, and he said the organization’s liquidity crisis cannot be solved by internal reform alone.

Guterres told the informal plenary that the initiative is “an opportunity to undertake strategic reforms and improvements in line with the United Nations Charter and the pact for the future,” and that proposals affecting the regular budget for 2026 will be included in revised estimates to be presented in September.

The initiative, Guterres said, is structured around three work streams: (1) rapidly identifying efficiencies and management improvements; (2) reviewing implementation of mandates entrusted by member states (not the mandates themselves); and (3) considering structural changes and program realignment across the U.N. system. He said a secretariat working group led by Catherine Pollard is developing a management strategy and that a UNAT task force and seven thematic clusters — including peace and security, development, humanitarian, human rights, training and research, and specialized agencies — have been established to produce concrete proposals.

Why it matters: Delegations said the reforms could affect budget priorities, staff, and where U.N. work is based. Many member states welcomed efforts to reduce duplication and improve delivery, but speakers representing developing countries, small island states and regional blocs urged that efficiency measures not come at the expense of mandates, regional presence or support for vulnerable members.

Key details and proposals

- Guterres said the secretariat has already…