The United Nations (UN) may cut 20% of its Secretariat staff, around 6,900 positions, in a bid to increase efficiency amid financial constraints, according to an internal memo seen by AFP on Thursday.
For years, the UN has grappled with a chronic liquidity crisis due to some member states not paying their full contributions, while others pay late.
At the end of January, the United States, the largest contributor to the UN's regular budget at 22% as set by the General Assembly, had amassed $1.5 billion in arrears, according to a UN spokesperson. In 2024, China, the second-largest contributor at 20%, only paid its dues in late December.
These financial issues are compounded by fears of funding cuts from the administration of President Donald Trump. Many UN agencies have already been affected by substantial reductions in US foreign aid, as the United States usually accounts for nearly a quarter of all UN funding.
'Painful' changes ahead
Under the 'UN80' initiative aimed at improving organisational efficiency in a challenging financial environment, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned of upcoming "painful" changes, including staff reductions estimated at 20%.
Some speculate the UN is demonstrating seriousness in these reforms in hopes of prompting the United States to eventually release more funds.
"The Secretary-General has set an ambitious goal of achieving a significant reduction (between 15% and 20%) in the regular budget by 2026, including a 20% cut in Secretariat posts," wrote UN Controller Chandramouli Ramanathan in the memo sent to department heads.
The UN's regular budget for 2025 is $3.7 billion. By the end of 2023, the Secretariat employed about 35,000 people, primarily in New York, but also in Geneva, Vienna, and Nairobi.
The memo, dated 27 May, instructs department heads to submit their lists of positions to eliminate by 13 June, focusing on overlaps, duplications, or "non-critical" functions.
"I rely on your cooperation for this collective effort," Ramanathan wrote, acknowledging a "tight schedule."
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If approved by the General Assembly when adopting the 2026 budget, the staff cuts will take effect from 1 January 2026 for vacant roles, and later for occupied positions, in accordance with internal regulations.
The memo states that agencies like the High Commissioner for Refugees, the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), and UN Women, which receive funding from the regular UN budget, will receive separate instructions.
