The United Nations (UN) aims to reduce and abolish senior leadership positions over the next two years as part of far-reaching structural reforms, Secretary-General António Guterres announced this Thursday. The move is part of an ongoing drive to streamline the 80-year-old institution, which has long faced criticism for being top-heavy and burdened by bureaucratic inertia.
Guterres, whose ten-year tenure as UN chief concludes at the end of 2026, called for decisive reform and stringent cost-cutting measures. The organisation is currently navigating a severe financial crisis, driven in part by billions of Dollars in unpaid membership fees from member states, including its top contributor, the United States (US).
Addressing the General Assembly in New York, Guterres hailed the progress achieved so far under the ‘UN80’ reforms, highlighting a reduction in the 2026 budget and the relocation of more than 2 000 jobs out of expensive cities like Geneva and New York to lower-cost global hubs. However, he warned that further measures are urgently required and that the responsibility now lies firmly with member states, stating that genuine reform requires tough choices rather than complacency or self-interest.
The budget for next year will introduce initial measures to reduce hierarchical layers and initiate a phased reduction of senior-level posts, a process set to continue into 2028. The focus on elite roles follows criticism that previous cost-saving plans targeted lower-ranking personnel rather than high-level positions, many of which are unofficially reserved for major global powers as sources of prestige and geopolitical influence.
The push for efficiency comes amid intense diplomatic pressure. The US, which owes the organisation approximately $4 billion, has repeatedly demanded a leaner organisation focused strictly on peace and security. China has also voiced support for the restructuring, with Foreign Minister Wang Yi stating that overlapping bodies and mandates within the UN system should be streamlined. The debate coincides with the race to succeed Guterres, with several of the five candidates vying for the top job explicitly campaigning on the need to reform modern multilateralism.
–Reuters/ChannelAfrica–
