UN in Crisis: Guterres Acknowledges Bureaucracy and Proposes Radical Reforms.

UN Reports Receive Few Views

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has acknowledged that the organization needs optimization due to a serious liquidity crisis and excessive bureaucracy. One report noted that no one reads UN documentation.

This was reported by Reuters.

'The enormous number of meetings and reports is pushing the system — and all of us — to the brink. Few people read many of these reports. The top 5% of reports are downloaded over 5500 times, while one in five reports receives fewer than 1000 downloads. And downloads do not necessarily mean reading.'

Last year, Guterres stated that the UN system held 27,000 meetings involving 240 bodies, and the secretariat prepared 1,100 reports — an increase of 20% compared to 1990.

In March of this year, Guterres established the UN80 working group to find ways to reform amid a chronic financial crisis that has lasted for at least the seventh consecutive year — due to the fact that not all 193 member states pay their mandatory contributions on time and in full.

The report published by the working group on Thursday covers only one of the areas planned for reform. Among the proposals voiced by Guterres is 'fewer meetings and reports, but those that fully meet all established mandates.'

It should be noted that Ukraine initiated an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council. Additionally, the UNHCR has opened registration for aid payments to Ukrainians.

UN reports receive few views due to the overwhelming number of reports and meetings that do not always meet needs. Guterres points to the necessity for reform and optimization of the UN system in times of financial difficulties, while Ukraine is actively engaged in international processes within the organization.