UN80: SECRETARIAT UPDATE TO MEMBER STATES ON THE UN80 INITIATIVE
Statement by H.E Mr. James Larsen, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Australia to the United Nations
26 January 2026
Thank you, President and as noted I speak for CANZ.
Let me express particular appreciation to you Deputy Secretary-General and all of today’s briefers.
It is clear that we will only achieve effective reform through clear expectations, measurable progress, transparent communication, sustained commitment, and disciplined follow through. These regular briefings are an important contribution to this.
Today, CANZ would like to make four key points.
First, we must remain fully focused on our shared goal of reform that builds a UN able to respond to current and future challenges in line with the core mandate of the United Nations and importantly, the three pillars that we are all committed to.
We welcome the Secretary-General’s objective of a leaner UN system that delivers more effectively, more coherently, and with greater impact amid shrinking resources and rising needs.
We will continue to back actions that advance it and support an ongoing culture of efficiency. At the same time, we will uphold the key normative mandates and institutional architecture that are foundational to effective delivery and meaningful impact.
Member States and the UN system are both accountable for delivering concrete results and we need to work together.
In this vein, we continue to encourage the Secretary-General to implement those proposals that lie within his existing authority.
Second, CANZ stresses the importance of full transparency throughout this process.
Knowing what decisions are needed, who they are needed by – which Member States, governing bodies, or the Secretary-General – and when they are needed, is imperative to hold ourselves and the UN system accountable for timely action under the UN80 Initiative.
We also support the use of tools that enable us to track progress and maintain accountability.
The online UN80 dashboard — including the identification of action leads — is critical to assessing concrete progress and ensuring ongoing transparency.
Third, reforms must continue to be developed in consultation with Member States and UN stakeholders.
We look forward to receiving proposals for country and regional level reforms. They offer promise of a more effective and impactful UN and will have significant implications for how the UN operates on the ground.
It is essential they be shaped through broad and meaningful engagement and consultation.
It will also be important that proposals are flexible enough to be effective in the wide variety of regional, subregional, and national contexts, and are appropriately consulted and tested with Member States and other key stakeholders to ensure they can deliver on their objectives in different settings.
Further, it is vital that all relevant UN entities take a system-wide perspective on these reforms and get behind useful, practical proposals that can deliver greater impact.
Finally, CANZ looks forwards to receiving further information on the timeline and processes to consider detailed assessments of proposed mergers, including between UNDP and UNOPS, and UNFPA and UN-Women.
We reiterate the importance of decisions on these and other proposals being based on a robust business case, focused on achieving operational efficiencies and enhanced effectiveness, and do not involve a reopening of the core mandates of entities.
The Executive Boards are key decision makers as well as a crucial source of expertise and must be closely engaged in this process.
Member States will also require adequate time to consider the merits of these and other proposals in depth.
President,
CANZ remains committed to working with the Secretariat and all Member States to ensure UN80 delivers a more coherent, and effective UN.
Thank you.