The United Nations is contemplating a significant restructuring of its operations in 2025 to address a severe funding crisis and improve efficiency. According to an internal memo, this overhaul may involve consolidating key departments and reallocating resources globally.
The proposed changes aim to streamline the UN's operations by merging dozens of agencies into four primary divisions: peace and security, humanitarian affairs, sustainable development, and human rights. This initiative, known as UN80, was launched on March 12, 2025, by Secretary-General António Guterres to ensure the UN remains effective and cost-efficient.
One suggestion involves merging operational aspects of the World Food Programme, UNICEF, WHO, and UNHCR into a single humanitarian entity. Other proposals include integrating the UN AIDS agency with the WHO and reducing the number of translators at meetings. These reforms seek to eliminate overlapping mandates, inefficient resource use, and fragmentation within the UN system.
The restructuring is driven by a financial crisis exacerbated by foreign aid cuts. The US, a major UN funder, owes billions in contributions. These cuts have led to budget shortfalls across various UN agencies, prompting the need for significant reforms to ensure the organization's continued effectiveness.