EU Statement – UN General Assembly 5th Committee First Resumed Session: Closing Statement

EU Statement - UN General Assembly 5th Committee First Resumed Session: Closing Statement

27 March 2026, New York - Statement on behalf of the Member States of the European Union by Ms. María REYES FERNÁNDEZ, Counsellor - Head of Section, Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations, 80th Session of the General Assembly Fifth Committee First Resumed Session: Closing statement

Madame 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, and Bosnia and Herzegovina*, as well as Andorra, and Monaco, align themselves with this statement.

At the outset, we thank you, Madam Chair, the Bureau, and the facilitators for guiding this session, as well as the Secretariat for its valuable support.

Madam Chair,

The First Resumed Session of the Fifth Committee has once again highlighted its dual role: as a budgetary body and as a key forum for addressing essential administrative issues that underpin the effective functioning of the United Nations, particularly in the context of ongoing reform. At the same time, this session calls for honest reflection on where we fell short in providing the necessary guidance, and how we can collectively meet this responsibility more effectively going forward.

Our First Resumed Session concludes today with the adoption of only a limited number of resolutions.

Regrettably, most agenda items resulted in no action or deferral. It is particularly disappointing that no resolutions were adopted under the agenda item on the review of the Organization's efficiency, especially in light of the UN80 Initiative. We wish to express our concern that the financial rules and regulations and the financial situation were not substantively addressed during this session and were instead deferred to the Second Resumed Session, despite being identified as a key priority by the Secretary-General. We trust that the Committee will engage with this matter as a priority, with a view to reaching agreement at the Second Resumed Session.

We also regret our inability to send clear positive signals to the staff of the Organization, who are its driving force. We remain firmly committed to advancing discussions on human resources management, including internships, and encourage continued engagement between sessions to reach a consensual outcome, as achieved during the 77th session.

Furthermore, the absence of negotiations on supply chain activities continues to deprive us of important guidance. Additional missed opportunities include accountability and cost recovery, as well as efforts to modernize air travel standards.

At the same time, we were able to reach agreement on important and diverse issues, such as addressing racism and the ITC strategy, demonstrating that compromise is possible when there is genuine willingness to engage. Supporting the work of the Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) should remain a priority for this Committee.

It is a core responsibility of this Committee to ensure that all Special Political Missions receive the financial and human resources required to implement their mandates. We regret that some delegations did not uphold this collective responsibility and instead used the Fifth Committee as a forum to relitigate mandates. We trust that today's conclusions will also guide the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions in its further technical considerations.

Madame Chair,

Once again, the limited outcomes of this session raise serious concerns about our working methods. Extending the First Resumed Session from four to five weeks, at significant cost, has proven inefficient. Key proposals, such as those on Supply Chain Activities and Special Political Missions, were introduced only in the final week, while the rev.1 on Financial Regulations and Rules was not introduced at all.

Our Committee does not need more time, but earlier, more active, and more constructive engagement. Rather than longer hours in the last days, we need more meaningful, efficient, and effective use of the time allocated. In this regard, we should hold ourselves to at least the same standards we expect from the Organization and its staff.

We therefore underline that improving our working methods must remain an ongoing priority. We must raise our standards of efficiency, responsibility, and flexibility.

To conclude, Madam Chair,

In just a few weeks, we will resume our session with a demanding programme of work.

In a world of growing uncertainty, the missed opportunities of this session should serve as a wake-up call-prompting us to rise to the challenge and ensure that this Committee fulfills its mandate effectively. Our objective remains clear: to deliver on UN mandates and to do so through consensus.

You can count on the full support and commitment of the European Union and its Member States in this collective endeavour.

I thank you, Madam Chair.

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