EU Statement - Executive Board of UNDP/UNFPA/UNOPS Regular Session: Interactive dialogue with the UNDP Administrator

EU Statement - Executive Board of UNDP/UNFPA/UNOPS Regular Session: Interactive dialogue with the UNDP Administrator

3 February 2026, New York - Statement on behalf of the European Union as a Donor at the Executive Board of UNDP/UNFPA/UNOPS Regular Session, UNDP Segment: Interactive dialogue with the Administrator

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President,

Administrator,

Excellencies,

I am delivering this statement on behalf of the European Union as a donor.

First, I would like to thank the Administrator for his statement, and reiterate that the EU remains committed to multilateralism, the universal values of the UN Charter, and the rules-based international order. The EU has been and will remain a reliable and responsible partner to UNDP.

This is a crucial moment for UNDP and for the wider UN system. Financial constraints, political pressures and rising expectations mean that the system must adapt and reinvent itself to remain credible, relevant and effective.

The EU commends UNDP's leadership in advancing UN reform and its engagement in strengthening the effectiveness and coherence of the UN development system. The UN80 process is an opportunity to reinforce multilateralism by focusing on impact, efficiency and delivery. We encourage openness, transparency and evidence-based decision-making to ensure that this process leads to concrete and meaningful outcomes.

The European Union has been a committed partner of UNDP for decades. Together with EU Member States, the EU remains the largest contributor to UNDP, underlining the strategic importance we attach to this partnership. We stand ready to continue supporting UNDP as we navigate the challenges ahead.

We are keen to build on UNDP's comparative advantages: its expertise, strong track record and unique field presence in 170 countries and territories. We support your vision of UNDP's role in the UN system as the operational delivery arm as well as your focus on creating enabling environments for investment, including governance, regulatory frameworks and broader capacity-building. We also value your ability to deliver in fragile contexts.

UNDP's ability to foster collaboration and coordination among stakeholders is vital for achieving sustainable development goals. Country ownership and domestic resource mobilisation are key to ensuring long-term success, and international support should complement national efforts. Partnerships with the private sector and international financial institutions will be instrumental in mobilising resources and driving innovation and we look forward to working with you on this in the context of our Global Gateway strategy.

The EU strongly supports a more effective, efficient and coherent UN presence at country level. In line with the One UN approach, this requires stronger alignment and collaboration among UN entities under the leadership of the UN Resident Coordinator, an area where the EU has invested heavily. Strengthening the Resident Coordinator system is important if we are serious about reducing fragmentation and maximising impact, and this will only succeed with strong UNDP buy-in.

In closing, the European Union looks forward to further strengthening its partnership with UNDP. The scale and complexity of today's challenges demand unity, ambition and coordinated action.

How do you intend to shape UNDP during your tenure in terms of vision and priorities?

How do you assess progress on the UN80 Initiative work packages? How will this impact on the UNDP Strategic Plan 2026-2029?

How can UNDP better support an integrated One UN action at country level?

Thank you.