Pressure eased on UN layoffs, official says in Geneva
The United Nations (UN) does not anticipate further budget cuts or additional layoffs, provided member states meet their financial obligations and voluntary contributions continue to flow in.
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Pressure eased on UN layoffs, official says in Geneva
Following budget cuts by the United States and other countries, the UN has been forced to reduce its budget for 2026 by 9.2%. The budget being prepared for 2027 is expected to remain “stable”, Guy Ryder, the Under-Secretary-General for Policy, told the media in Geneva on Tuesday.
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“The Secretary-General has not proactively planned any further job cuts or budget reductions,” he added. However, he emphasised that the UN “relies heavily” on mandatory and voluntary contributions from member states.
However, the outlook for international funding remains “very uncertain”, Ryder added. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is in regular discussions with the US Ambassador to the UN in New York, Mike Waltz, about paying its contributions.
Outside the Secretariat, tens of thousands of posts have been cut at UN agencies based in Geneva. And several thousand have been cut at their headquarters.
Among the current initiatives, efforts are being made to pool the procurement, storage and distribution of humanitarian aid.
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Translated from French, reviewed by an English Department journalist.
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