UN Budget Cuts: A Top-Heavy Approach Sparks Debate
The UN's proposed budget cuts plan for 2026 focuses more on reducing lower-ranking staff positions rather than senior-level roles, raising concerns about the organization's top-heavy structure. Secretary General Antonio Guterres aims for a 15% budget reduction amid a financial crisis, sparking internal criticism and doubt about leadership and rationality.
The United Nations' proposed budget for 2026 is drawing criticism for targeting lower-ranking staff positions more than senior roles, according to a draft budget document. Secretary General Antonio Guterres plans a 15% cut to the regular budget in a bid for efficiency amid financial constraints as the organization approaches its 80th anniversary.
Just 3% of senior department head positions are slated for cuts compared to much larger reductions at lower ranks, a stark contrast likely to stir divisions. The President of the U.N. Geneva Staff Union, Ian Richards, expressed concerns about the potential top-heavy and bureaucratic nature of the organization under the current proposals.
Despite calls for a significant restructuring at higher levels, potential for future senior-level reductions remains, said U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric. With the U.S. and China, two of the largest contributors to the UN budget, currently in arrears, skepticism about the organization's future and leadership persists among staff and stakeholders.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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