Chief's Plan For World Body's Restructuring To Enhance Its Effectiveness

UNITED NATIONS, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th May, 2025) Pakistan on Monday threw its weight behind UN Secretary-General's UN80 initiative aimed at enhancing the word body's effectiveness, emphasizing that it core mandate of maintaining world peace & security must remain paramount.

"We welcome the UN80 Initiative as a timely and important step towards making the UN leaner, more efficient and fit for purpose," Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, permanent representative of Pakistan, told an informal meeting of the UN General Assembly at which UN chief Antonio Guterres briefed the member states on his wide-ranging effort to revamp the UN system.

Launched in March, the UN80 Initiative centres on three priorities: enhancing operational efficiency, assessing how mandates – or key tasks – from Member States are implemented, and exploring structural reforms across the UN system.

"As a strong advocate for multilateralism and a staunch supporter of the UN and its charter, Pakistan attaches great importance to this initiative," The Pakistani envoy said.

"We believe that the key to success lies in the process, which must be organic, transparent, consensual and inclusive. While setting timelines is sometimes useful, flexibility remains essential to achieving the best possible outcome.

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It must be internally and member state-driven and shielded from external pressures, he said, adding that optics should not outweigh substance.

In this regard, Ambassador Asim said this process must build on previous reform exercises, "thus taking us forwards, not backwards". Relevant information and documents should be available to member states in good time, enabling well considered review and feedback.

"The priorities and core interests of developing countries must remain central, especially with regard to the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) and integrity of the 2030 Agenda.

"The development pillar must not be a casualty of this process," he added, underscoring that mandates should be aimed at ensuring their effective implementation, not arbitrary elimination.

"At a time of heightened global instability, raging conflicts, naked aggression in blatant violation of the Charter, the UN’s core mandate of maintaining international peace and security must remain paramount," the Pakistani envoy said.

"Conflict prevention, peacekeeping and peace-building functions should not be undermined – rather they merit strengthening corresponding to the ground realities".

APP/ift