UN80: WORKSTREAM 2: INFORMAL AD HOC WORKING GROUP: GENERAL STATEMENT IN RESPONSE TO REV. 1 OF INFORMAL AD HOC WORKING GROUP GA RESOLUTION
Statement by H.E Mr. James Larsen, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Australia to the United Nations
3 March 2026
Thank you, co-chairs and as noted I speak for CANZ.
We welcome the enhanced ambition and clarity in the revised draft on Mandate Creation, Implementation and Review.
We see workshop discussions and written submissions well reflected in the revised draft. The text provides strong detail on our shared objectives and represents a major step toward achieving consensus.
Today, I make five key points.
First, we reiterate our call for Member States to agree bold and tangible outcomes, to improve mandates and create a more effective UN.
The principles and practical actions in rev.1 strengthen mandate effectiveness, improve engagement between Member States and the Secretariat, and enhance accessibility for smaller delegations. We also appreciate the addition of multilingualism as a principle.
We endorse the clarification of the concept note requirements, to outline timelines, impact, activities, and the wider mandate landscape, and the inclusion of retirement clauses and expected funding arrangements in resolutions.
Second, we support the requests for the Secretary-General to provide Member States enhanced information and resources when drafting mandates – such as:
- links to established rules and practices;
- the technical secretariat focal point; and
- indicative financial implications.
This information and resources will help Member States create more impactful and less duplicative mandates and support effective implementation.
Third, Member States need to agree clear, robust and accountable review mechanisms.
We value the clear distinction between mandate implementation review and mandate review in the revised draft.
We believe the Secretariat has an important role to play in reviewing mandate implementation, in consultation with Member States, while mandate review and decisions on mandate futures belong to Member States, informed by Secretariat advice.
We support retaining the review of existing mandates, while acknowledging the need for Member States to finalize modalities.
We welcome paragraph 25 to protect important norm setting mandates like the Declaration of Human Rights, and suggest that it would be helpful for working group members to develop a shared understanding of the term “norm setting mandates”.
Fourth, we appreciate the resolution’s enhanced focus on strengthening system-wide coordination.
The actions in this new dedicated section would strengthen cross‑pillar coherence and oversight, while respecting the decision‑making authority of individual organs.
In implementing these actions, we support encouraging the Secretariat to fully use existing mechanisms and resources – but also remain open to resourcing increases where justified and aligned with Member State priorities.
Finally, CANZ supports the Working Group transitioning to a new phase of its work and appreciates the clearer parameters and timeline for the proposed additional tasks outlined in paragraph 34.
Addressing actions which cannot be fully carried out in this first stage of the Working Group will embed the cultural shift needed to drive lasting improvements across the mandate lifecycle.
We believe this work is an investment in the UN’s long‑term effectiveness.
Co-chairs,
We value your innovative and consultative approach to-date. Line‑by‑line negotiations would not have produced this substantial progress.
It is essential that all Member States now come together to agree a transformative outcome.
CANZ is committed to this effort.
Thank you.