He outlined his proposal in the Fifth Committee of the General Assembly, the forum for administrative and budgetary mattersAntónio Guterres said the proposal for the regular UN budget comes with a sense of urgency, amid a multitude of challenges.
“In a context of major global shocks, the United Nations is needed more than ever,” He said.
The proposal reflects the priorities set out in recent historic agreements, he stressed, citing the Pact for the future and its appendices, the Global digital compactand the Statement about future generations.
“(These) represent a commitment to updating and reforming international cooperation to make it more networked, effective, fairer and more inclusive”, he added.
The regular budget (RB) includes UN programs covering various areas, such as political affairs, international justice and law, regional development cooperation, human rights and humanitarian affairs, and public information.
Organization maintains a separate budget for peacekeeping operations, which follows a budget cycle from July 1 to June 30, while the regular budget is in line with the calendar year.
Budget highlights
Excluding the Special political missions (SPMs), the proposed 2025 budget includes a total of 10,494 posts, representing a net increase of 115 posts for new or reinforced mandates.
$711 million is proposed for SPMs, reflecting a decrease of $31 million due to the cessation of field activities in Sudan (UNITAMS) and the research team in Iraq (UNITAD).
The budget proposal includes $50 million for the Peacebuilding Fund addressing persistent funding gaps; an increase of $8 million for the UN Human Rights Office, OHCHRto support regional initiatives; and another $8.3 million to support the work of the Independent institution for missing persons in Syria.
The proposed budget also includes $3.5 million in additional humanitarian resources for the Gaza crisis, including a $2.5 million increase for the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), a lifeline for Palestinian refugees.
The budget proposal for 2025 also includes measures to: System-wide evaluation agency a stronger foundation with RB funding, in addition to a $2 million increase for the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) and the Office of Ethics strengthen capabilities.
Focus on development
Sustainable development remains a key priority, with an increase of approximately $4.5 million, marking the sixth consecutive annual increase.
The Regular technical cooperation programme (RPTC) will receive a $2 million boost, with an additional $500,000 proposed for technical assistance and advice to countries on Agenda 2030 for sustainable development and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
The proposal also includes a $1 million increase for the Development account to improve targeted support at country level.
Mr Guterres also highlighted the “chronic funding shortage” facing the Resident Coordinator system and need for “a sustainable and predictable financing mechanism”, through partial RB financing.
Liquidity problems
Mr Guterres concluded by urging Member States to fulfill their obligations financial obligations fully and on time, emphasizing that the UN’s ability to implement its mandates depends on the availability of financial resources.
He explained that the organization started 2024 with just $67 million in cash, compared to $700 million the year before.making it extremely vulnerable to adverse changes in payment patterns of assessed contributions”.
To avoid implementation restrictions next year, Mr. Guterres proposed that the General Assembly temporarily suspend the return of appropriations for 2023 compared to the 2025 assessment. The appropriations would be held in reserve and released once conditions improve.
“Ultimately, the effectiveness of program implementation and use of financial resources in 2025 will depend on the availability of cash,” he said.
UN budget talks
In the coming weeks the Fifth Commission will discuss the proposal, including with the heads of departments of the UN Secretariat and senior program managers.
The committee will then submit its report and recommendations to the General Assembly plenary for approval of the UN budget by the end of December.