Mr. Chair,

I have the honor to speak on behalf of the Member States of the European Union.

The Candidate Countries North Macedonia, Montenegro*, Albania*, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina* and Georgia, as well as Andorra and Monaco, align themselves with this statement.

We would like to first thank the Controller and the Chair of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions for the presentation of their respective reports. We appreciate the timely publication of these reports and welcome the inclusion of the resource requirements for UNAMA in the Cluster III report.

We would like to express our appreciation to all staff of the 36 continuing Special Political Missions, and those who have supported missions that have recently concluded. Through their dedication and hard work on the ground often in a volatile and challenging environment, the United Nations can deliver on its mandates and all the people who it serves.

Mr. Chair,

As we are now facing the highest number of conflicts since the foundation of the United Nations, Special Political Missions are an essential tool for preventive diplomacy, mediation and sustaining peace, supporting post-conflict reconstruction and delivering across the three pillars of the United Nations. Their multidimensional character enables them to respond to today's complex challenges and evolving circumstances on the ground. The European Union and its Member States remain firmly committed to conflict prevention, peacebuilding and the protection and promotion of human rights, in particular the rights of women and girls, and fundamental freedoms.

We welcome the commitment by the United Nations to maximise the use of its capacities in Special Political Missions, including in peacemaking engagements as outlined in the Secretary-General's Review on the Future of All Forms of Peace Operations. Further, we welcome this review's suggestion on the enhanced use of prevention, peacemaking, good offices and mediation, as well as making better use of regional offices, envoys and partnerships with regional organisations.

This year's discussion takes place during the transition to a new Secretary-General and amid the advancement of the UN80 Initiative and its system-wide reform effort to strengthen the way the Organization operates. As the largest collective financial contributor to the United Nations, the European Union and its Member States fully support the reform process and approach the negotiations with a strong sense of responsibility, and with a commitment to ensure that every dollar spent is used effectively.

In this regard, we welcome the Secretary-General's continued efforts to strengthen a culture of efficiency across Special Political Missions, including the efficiencies in the proposed budget for 2027 estimated at USD 14.7 million. However, reform also means effective mandate delivery and strengthened impact on the ground. Mandates, as they derive from relevant Security Council and General Assembly resolutions, must be matched by adequate and predictable financing. This requires all Member States to pay their assessed contributions in full, on time and without conditions, so that missions have the necessary means to deliver effectively on their mandates.

Mr. Chair, distinguished delegates,

For two years in a row, this Committee has been able to reach a negotiated outcome on the Special Political Missions resolution. The European Union and its Member States appreciate this collective achievement and the constructive negotiation spirit that made a successful conclusion possible. Last year's resolution reaffirmed our shared commitment to improving the overall functioning of Special Political Missions, based on their mandates, and to making them more efficient, effective, impactful, and fit for purpose for the people they serve. We have the opportunity to build on that success and continue to promote effective leadership and mandate delivery.

Looking forward, we encourage the continued development of inclusive strategies that promote the full, equal and meaningful participation of women, as well as youth and marginalized groups, which is essential to the effectiveness and sustainability of mission activities as well as continued efforts to reduce the mission's environmental footprint on the ground.We remain attached to ensuring the protection of human rights and international sanctions enforcement. This year also offers an opportunity to draw lessons from the recent mission transitions and closures for systematic application in future planning and operations.

In closing, the European Union and its Member States look forward to constructive engagement and a timely conclusion. Our deliberations should ultimately be guided by what matters most: enabling Special Political Missions to make a meaningful difference on the ground, through effective mandate delivery and responsible use of the resources entrusted to them.

I thank you, Mr. Chair.

1. North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.