In a world facing mounting crises, deepening inequalities, and declining trust in global institutions, the United Nations has launched an ambitious effort to strengthen the way it serves people around the world.
The UN80 Initiative, launched in March by Secretary-General António Guterres, is a system-wide effort to streamline operations, improve impact and reaffirm the relevance of the United Nations in a rapidly changing world.
“This is a good time to examine ourselves and see how prepared we are in circumstances that, let's face it, are quite challenging for multilateralism and the United Nations,” said Guy Ryder, Under-Secretary-General for Politics and Chair of the UN80 Working Group.
Known as the UN80 Initiative, this process seeks not only to improve efficiency, but also to reaffirm the value of multilateralism at a time when trust is low and needs are high.
Its aim is to strengthen the UN's capacity to respond to current global challenges , ranging from conflict, displacement and inequality to climate disruption and rapid technological change, while also responding to external pressures such as budget cuts and growing political divisions in the multilateral space.
“We will emerge from this with a stronger United Nations, prepared for the challenges that the future will undoubtedly bring,” Ryder explains.
Three paths to reform
At the heart of UN80 are three main lines of work. The first focuses on improving internal efficiency and effectiveness , reducing bureaucracy , and optimizing the UN's global presence by relocating some functions to lower-cost destinations. Ryder notes that cumbersome administrative procedures and redundancies are being addressed.
"We want to see what we can do better. We want to examine areas where we think we can improve efficiency and eliminate unnecessary bureaucratic processes," he explains.
The second line of work is a review of mandate implementation , which involves examining nearly 4000 mandate documents that underpin the work of the UN Secretariat. A mandate refers to a task or responsibility assigned to the organization by member states, usually through resolutions adopted by UN bodies such as the General Assembly or the Security Council.
These mandates guide the organization's work: from peacekeeping operations and humanitarian aid to human rights and environmental action. Over the decades, at least 40.000 mandates have accumulated, sometimes overlapping or becoming outdated, which is why their review is a key element of the UN80 initiative.
“Let’s take a look at them,” says Ryder. “Let’s see where there might be duplication, where we can prioritize and defer, and find redundancies.”
But reviewing this mountain of mandates is nothing new. "We've tried this exercise before. We reviewed these voluminous mandates back in 2006. It didn't work very well," Ryder reflects.
This time, however, the process is favored by a key factor. “This time, we have the data and the analytical capabilities. We are applying artificial intelligence techniques to provide much more information, and better organized, to the Member States: a more compelling case that could, I believe, drive a productive process.”
He stresses that the responsibility for deciding what is maintained, revised, or removed lies squarely with the Member States.
"These mandates belong to the Member States. They created them, and only they can evaluate them. We can examine the evidence, we can present it to the Member States, but ultimately they are the ones who make the decisions on the mandates and on many other things that the UN80 initiative provides."
The third approach explores whether structural changes and a readjustment of programs across the United Nations system are necessary. “Over time, we may want to examine the architecture of the United Nations system, which has become quite elaborate and complicated,” Ryder adds. Proposals are also likely to emerge from the review of mandate implementation.
A working group and a system-wide perspective
To address the reform of such a complex system, the Secretary-General established seven thematic groups within the UN80 Working Group, each coordinated by senior United Nations officials from across the system. These groups cover peace and security, humanitarian action, development (United Nations Secretariat and system), human rights, training and research, and specialized agencies.
“It's important to say that at a time when the system is under pressure, the system is responding as a system,” notes the chair of the UN80 Working Group. “It's not just New York, nor just the Secretariat. It's the entire system.”
Each group is expected to submit proposals to improve coordination, reduce fragmentation, and readjust roles where necessary. Several groups have already submitted initial ideas. A broader set of proposals will be presented in July.
Reform, not reduction
Attention surrounding the UN80 Initiative has largely focused on proposed budget cuts and staff reductions, raising concerns that it is primarily a cost-cutting exercise. Ryder emphasizes that this view ignores the bigger picture.
"Yes, we face financial challenges. There's no reason to ignore them. But this isn't a cost-cutting exercise. We want the UN to be stronger," he says.
Even so, financial pressures across the system are undeniable . The revised programme budget for 2026, due in September, is expected to include significant reductions in funding and staffing for Secretariat entities, as a consequence of persistent treasury constraints related to late and incomplete contributions from Member States.
“The UN80 Initiative aims to improve the impact and impact of multilateralism and the UN,” Ryder explained. “Now, that doesn't mean—we wish it were otherwise—that we don't have to take a look at our budget and resources in different parts of the system.”
"Organizations have faced some heartbreaking decisions, and this happens every day. It's the reality of our circumstances," he adds.
Ryder argues that financial sustainability and mission impact are not mutually exclusive, but rather must be pursued together. “We need to reconcile the two objectives of becoming financially sustainable in the challenging circumstances we face, while also remaining mindful, as always, of the impact we have on fulfilling our Charter responsibilities,” he said.
Why is UN80 important to people around the world?
More than mere bureaucratic reform, UN80 is ultimately about people, about those who depend on UN support in situations of crisis, conflict, or development challenges.
“If the UN can transform itself, make improvements, sometimes through difficult decisions, it can mean that life-saving interventions reach the people we serve more effectively,” Ryder says.
The organization remains the essential and unique meeting point for promoting peace, sustainable development, and human rights for all.
“This is about the United Nations taking seriously its responsibilities to the people we serve,” Ryder says.
Today, the UN assists more than 130 million displaced people, provides food to more than 120 million, provides vaccines to nearly half of the world's children, and supports peacekeeping, human rights, elections, and climate action around the world.
The organization's development work has helped to build peaceful and stable societies.
What will happen next?
The UN80 Working Group will present its proposals to the Secretary-General, who has already indicated the initial areas where results are expected. A working group on efficiency in the UN Secretariat, led by Under-Secretary-General Catherine Pollard, is expected to present its initial proposals by the end of June. A report on the mandate implementation review will be submitted by the end of July.
The work of the first two lines of action will contribute to a broader reflection on structural changes and the readjustment of programs across the United Nations system. The proposals for the third line of action will be presented to Member States in the coming months and throughout the next year.
Although the work has only just begun, Ryder believes the United Nations has the right tools and a clear sense of ambition and urgency.
"We're making good progress. A lot of work is being done now," he said. "As the weeks go by, this will increasingly move to the member states, and that's when we'll see results."
Ultimately, member states will have to decide how to act based on the conclusions. “They will have to decide what they want to do. Do they want to establish an intergovernmental process? The Secretary-General has already mentioned it as a possibility.”
Defining success
So what does success consist of?
“A UN system capable of acting more effectively, of strengthening and consolidating trust in multilateral action,” Ryder states. “A system capable of conveying to the public and policymakers that this is an organization worth investing in . That this should be the preferred option when facing the challenges of the future.”
For the chair of the UN80 Working Group, it all comes down to credibility, capacity, and public trust, and ensuring that the UN remains not only relevant, but essential.
“We should all be concerned about this,” he says. “If we believe that multilateralism is the best instrument we have to address global challenges, we must ensure that we renew, refresh, and make that machinery as effective and appropriate as possible.”