Guterres Warns UN Humanitarian Operations on Cusp of Breakdown

(MENAFN) The United Nations’ humanitarian operations are teetering on the edge of collapse as global needs soar and financial support for the UN system’s aid programs continues to decline, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres declared Wednesday.

Addressing the UN General Assembly during the UN80 Initiative, Guterres urged urgent reforms, stating, "Now is the time for bold, systemic change, building on the Humanitarian Reset: to deliver faster, at lower cost and with greater reliability to the millions of people whose lives depend on us in moments of crisis."

To meet this urgent challenge, the UN chief announced the launch of a New Humanitarian Compact — a strategic six-point plan aimed at enhancing efficiency, restoring confidence in multilateral efforts, and maximizing every dollar’s impact.

"The Compact will bring the UN system together in a new Collaborative Humanitarian Diplomacy Initiative -- fostering coordinated negotiation and unified messaging, so that we speak and act as one for those in greatest need," Guterres emphasized.

Key reforms include streamlining coordination by simplifying humanitarian response frameworks, consolidating meetings, and restructuring operations. The plan also calls for merging supply chains among major humanitarian agencies to enable cost-saving procurement, pooled freight, and shared logistics worldwide.

"Everything that is specific of the activity of an agency should be developed by the agency, but everything that is common should be done together with a larger increase of efficiency and a meaningful reduction of costs," he underscored.

Further, Guterres pledged to boost UN joint capacities to harness data for quicker, earlier, and more precise aid delivery, while reducing program overlaps in critical sectors such as food, mobility, beneficiary data, health, and nutrition.

Regarding the UN80 Initiative’s financial strategy, Guterres revealed targeted efficiency improvements and budget cuts exceeding 15 percent in the 2026 regular budget, along with a 19 percent reduction in staff positions. "The purpose is clear: to reduce duplication, strengthen quality and safeguard mandate delivery while responding to Member States' call for greater efficiency," he said.

Despite these efforts, funding remains dangerously insufficient. The UN’s global humanitarian appeal for 2025 stands at over $45.3 billion, yet only 21 percent — roughly $9.6 billion — had been secured by the end of September. This represents a dramatic drop of more than 40 percent compared to the same period last year, a UN spokesperson reported Tuesday.

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