EU Statement - ECOSOC: Operational Activities Segment Dialogue with the Deputy Secretary-General on the UNSDG Chair’s report on the Development Coordination Office and the[...]

EU Statement - ECOSOC: Operational Activities Segment Dialogue with the Deputy Secretary-General on the UNSDG Chair's report on the Development Coordination Office and the Resident Coordinator system

New York, 1 June 2026 - Statement on behalf of the European Union and its Member States at the ECOSOC Operational Activities Segment Dialogue with the Deputy Secretary-General on the UNSDG Chair's report on the Development Coordination Office and the Resident Coordinator system, delivered by by Renaud Savignat, ECOSOC Ambassador, Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations.

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Deputy Secretary-General,

Excellencies,

I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the EU and its Member States.

Eight years into the UN Development system reform, today's UNSDG Chair's report is clear: significant work remains. As mentioned, this morning, the European Union and its Member States welcome this opportunity to advance this reform, in particular regarding the RC system, as a cornerstone of the broader UN80 reform process.

Our priorities for this next phase are the following:

First, we must fully empower Resident Coordinators to transition from coordination to genuine system leadership and integrated delivery of coherent UN development efforts.

The increase in RC leadership recognition since 2019 demonstrates real progress, yet persistent fragmentation continues to undermine our collective impact. RCs must become the main, authoritative entry point for governments and donors alike, designing and vouching for the delivery of a unified "UN offer" through the Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework, the primary guiding instrument for all, that aligns seamlessly with national priorities. The EU and its Member States reiterate our commitment to engaging RCs as the first entry point for all UN development activities and urges all partners to do so.

This requires giving RCs genuine authority over where and how UN expertise is deployed, ensuring country needs and ownership systematically drive all decisions. The unfinished business of shared premises, common back-offices, and joint operations must finally be completed to create the efficient, cohesive system we all seek.

It also means that empowered RCs, as the gateway to the UN system, while primarily coordinating the Development System, must also be equipped to uphold system-wide coherence across the three pillars - human rights, peace and security, and development in coordination with the relevant advisers.

Second, UN80 must deliver concrete operational improvements that transform how the UN functions at every level.

We welcome the report's identification of three critical actions and urge their immediate implementation. Regional DCO teams must be strengthened to provide RCs with faster, more targeted support, particularly on SDG financing where needs are most acute. Headquarters leadership must be streamlined, with better data and digital tools to sharpen decision-making.

Most importantly, we need clearer accountability mechanisms that make results measurable and transparent to Member States, including through ECOSOC and its Operational Activities Segment and we particularlywelcome the session this week with the participation of RCs, but also the Boards. There must be greater interaction between the work we do in the General Assembly, ECOSOC and the Executive Boards because the success of reform depends on political buy-in across all governance channels. We welcome the session this week with the Agencies but believe there should be more joint sessions with the Secretariat and the Agencies on these issues.

The presentation of the UN SDG Group's report to ECOSOC OAS today is a good step in the right direction to ensure accountability towards MS.

Third, while far from being the only issue to be improved as outlined above, sustainable financing remains critical for the Resident Coordinator system's effectiveness.

The current reliance on short-term, project-specific funding undermines the system's stability and long-term planning capacity. We must collectively pursue realistic, efficient financing solutions that provide RC offices with the predictable, multi-year resources they require to fulfil their mandates effectively, using all available financing channels.

The European Union and its Member States remain committed to advocating for quality funding solutions and providing strategic guidance throughout the UN80 process to ensure RCs have the financial and political foundation necessary to deliver on their critical coordination and coherence role.

The EU also looks forward to the report requested by the Fifth Committee to assess how the RC system can be recalibrated towards a leaner and efficient model, rather than a one size fits all approach.

Deputy Secretary-General, Colleagues,

The 2030 Agenda demands urgent action. The EU stands ready to support this transformation, as outlined this morning and this afternoon, but we need to see three things: Resident Coordinators fully empowered and financed sustainably to lead with authority, a UN system that measures success by transparency and tangible results rather than processes, and a funding architecture that adapts and prioritizes impact over institutional interests.

Allow me to emphasise that the EU is ready to consider the outcomes of the relevant UN80 work packages, within the negotiations on the resolution of the Operational Activities Segment - it would be an important first step before potentially the General Assembly and would send a signal to the Secretariat to move forward.

In that light, we would like to ask more details on the concrete changes the Secretariat proposes for the recalibration of the RC system, possibly for Member States decision, and the timeline for the adoption and the start of the implementation?

The momentum is now-we must seize this opportunity to turn reform into reality, deliver for countries and people, and hold on to the promise of the SDGs.