Reforming the United Nations: No longer an option; it is an imperative

In the first phase of UN80, approximately a quarter of UN posts have been cut, but further reductions are needed. Cuts have fallen primarily on General Service and lower-level Professional staff. Reform must begin from the top. Therefore, as Secretary-General, I would immediately review and streamline senior management positions, which so far account for only 3 percent of agreed cuts. The objective is not to weaken leadership, but to ensure that seniority, hierarchy and cost are justified by responsibility, results and mandate delivery. A leaner, more accountable leadership structure would send an important signal: all levels of the UN hierarchy are subject to scrutiny and accountability. In addition to outright cuts, post levels must also be reviewed to address grade inflation in the system.

So far, approximately 2,300 posts have moved from high-cost duty stations to more cost-effective locations. Much of this relocation has involved administrative and technical functions. I would mandate the relocation of substantive political, humanitarian and development posts to the regional level to advance sustainable development. This will deepen cost savings and bring expertise geographically closer to the Member States and the communities the UN serves. Political analysis should be closer to political realities. Humanitarian expertise should be better connected to the communities facing crises. We must do much more to connect the global UN to the local level, thus increasing the impact of the UN on the lives of ordinary people. In the same vein, I would intentionally enlarge and strengthen cooperation and partnership with regional organizations. Geographic relocation is not only an administrative and financial calculation; it is a strategic choice as well.

The UN must confront the duplication and fragmentation across its administrative systems. As Secretary-General, I would consolidate administrative arrangements and ensure payroll integration across all the UN's global centers (the Common Administrative Platform). The digital transformation of the UN is also critical to improving efficiency, saving costs and harnessing unprecedented opportunities. I would immediately initiate the next stage of digital transformation through the establishment of the additional regional digital hubs envisaged in the 'Four-Hub Global Network'. These are not simply back-office improvements. Properly implemented, they are practical reforms that can eliminate duplication, strengthen resilience, modernize service delivery and redirect scarce resources towards the UN's core mission.

The reform agenda must refocus the UN on its core Charter mandate of maintaining international peace and security and promoting conflict resolution. UN Peace Operations remain an important component of the global peace and security agenda and the UN's efforts to end conflicts. It is essential that these operations are more focused, realistic and achievable in their mandates; that they are results-oriented, clearly time-bound and accountable to Member States; that transition arrangements are planned and designed from the beginning to avoid open-ended, never-ending UN operations; that critical concerns about burden-sharing in financing and troop contributions are addressed; that the sovereignty of affected Member States is respected; and that there is better consultation with national stakeholders, including civil society and local communities who are on the frontlines of conflict and post-conflict peacebuilding. As Secretary-General, I would lead the effort to overhaul peacekeeping and bring UN Peace Operations back to these fundamentals.

Tragically, major wars continue to ravage communities around the world. Ending these deadly conflicts would constitute an immediate and absolute priority for me. I know that the ultimate decisions rest with the protagonists and the major powers. But as Secretary-General, I would fully and impartially engage in mediation efforts, listening patiently to all parties, probing opportunities to be helpful, and coming up with innovative ideas to break deadlocks.

Reforming the UN to be 'fit for purpose' also entails rebuilding consensus on Human Rights. As Secretary-General, I would refocus on fulfilling the vision, spirit and promise of the UN Charter for “fundamental human rights and the dignity and worth of the human person”. For a human rights-centered approach to be credible and enjoy broad legitimacy, we must guard against the politicization or instrumentalization of human rights, perceived or otherwise. As Secretary-General, I would invoke the UN Charter and its principles in a completely impartial and non-selective manner.

Root-to-branch reform inevitably creates uncertainty, disrupts established practices and places pressure on those responsible for implementing change. For UN staff, whose experience and commitment are essential to the Organization's success, the consequences can be especially profound. Reform must include reviewing staff remuneration and benefits, which currently account for 70 percent of the UN's regular budget. To safeguard the long-term future of the Organization, some sacrifice will inevitably be required. Staff must be properly consulted through open and honest dialogue. Implementation of agreed measures must be carefully managed to harness institutional knowledge and ensure operational continuity and delivery of critical mandates. Reform must be determined, but judicious and fair.

We will need to draw lessons and 'best practice' from the most dynamic and successful private- and public-sector institutions. Innovation and creativity are needed at the very top; they must also become a core staff recruitment competency and be reflected in the development of the UN's talent and leadership pipelines.

Efficiency gains alone will not transform the UN, and no amount of administrative streamlining can compensate for unfocused priorities and duplicative mandates. Therefore, Member States must lead a systematic review to clarify responsibilities, eliminate redundancy, strengthen accountability and align resources with agreed priorities. Future consultations can build on some of the proposals and options for mandate consolidation in the Peace and Security, Humanitarian and Human Rights pillars that have already emerged in the first phase of reform.

As Secretary-General, I would ensure that the Secretariat provides the evidence base for reform, rigorous analysis, practical options and 'cost-benefit' risk assessments to support this process. I would work hard to bridge differences, build consensus and translate decisions into time-bound implementation plans. Political choices belong to Member States; helping them make those choices effectively is a responsibility of the Secretariat.

The UN cannot credibly claim to represent the international community if its own composition fails to reflect that community. A more efficient UN must also be more representative and inclusive. As Secretary-General, I would prioritize geographic diversity, gender parity and multilingualism as crucial aspects of my reform agenda. This is integral to the legitimacy and effectiveness of the UN.

Over the decades, I have provided deep and broad leadership across all three core pillars of the UN's mission. I have also had extensive work and engagement outside the UN and outside of diplomacy. I have been the head of a major think tank; I have served on key international commissions; I have been an academic; I have been a practicing lawyer; I have been a board member of several major private institutions; and, for the last five years, I have been the co-founder and leader of Rocco Paco, a community-based movement for rebuilding war-broken society in Northern Uganda. This means that I bring to the enterprise of UN reform the combination of deep institutional knowledge and an independent outside perspective on the UN.

It is clear to me that successful UN reform must necessarily bring together three critical undertakings: building the necessary consensus among Member States; proposing innovative ideas and solutions; and mustering the resolve to follow through and implement agreed reform measures. As it happens, these have consistently been the hallmarks of my leadership in diverse situations and diverse positions.