UNITED NATIONS (AP) 鈥 The U.N. chief launched a new initiative Wednesday to reform the United Nations as it approaches its 80th anniversary, saying the 193-member global organization needs an urgent update to deal with major funding reductions and still tackle the world's challenges.
Secretary-General Ant贸nio Guterres dismissed any relationship between his UN80 Initiative and that U.S. President Donald Trump and ally Elon Musk say will make the U.S. government more efficient.
鈥淲e are talking about completely different processes, methodologies and objectives,鈥 Guterres told reporters. 鈥淭his is a continuation and that we have always been doing.鈥
He said the U.N. initiative鈥檚 objective will be to present member states with proposals for improving the way the organization works, reviewing the increasing number of mandates from the U.N. Security Council and General Assembly, and making structural changes to streamline operations.
Guterres and his predecessors in past decades have struggled to , which was established following World War II, and bring it into a modern era with different powers, new technology and greater global divisions.
One key problem is that while the secretary-general is the U.N.鈥檚 chief executive, power rests with the 193 member nations that have very different ideas about the U.N. and the world.
The United Nations also has faced sharp criticism for its failure to preserve international peace and security 鈥 its key mission 鈥 with critics pointing to the wars in Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan and Congo, to name a few. The U.N. has been key to providing humanitarian aid to millions of people and for its work helping refugees and children.
Trump signed an executive order saying some U.N. agencies and bodies have drifted from their mission to promote peace and prevent future global conflicts and ordered a review of their operations.
鈥淚鈥檝e always felt that the U.N. has tremendous potential,鈥 Trump has said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not living up to that potential right now. ... They鈥檝e got to get their act together.鈥
Stressing that the United Nations reflects the world, Guterres said these are times of intense uncertainty and unpredictability.
He said the U.N.鈥檚 work is affected by multiplying conflicts, inadequate progress in reducing poverty, widespread flouting of international law, violations of human rights and the lack of guardrails for new technologies, including artificial intelligence 鈥 to name a few.
鈥淎nd all of them are aggravated by major reductions of funding for humanitarian aid and development cooperation,鈥 the secretary-general said. 鈥淚n many cases, these obstacles are fueling dangerous levels of geopolitical tensions and divisions.鈥
Guterres didn鈥檛 name any countries, but the Trump administration has , which was in charge of humanitarian aid, and . Other countries, including the United Kingdom, also are reducing humanitarian aid.
He said the U.N.鈥檚 resources have been shrinking, pointing to its liquidity crisis for at least the past seven years because not all member states pay their yearly dues, and many don鈥檛 pay on time.
Guterres said the UN80 Initiative is not only about reforming the U.N. but about 鈥渂etter serving people whose very lives depend on us鈥 and 鈥渢axpayers around the world who underwrite everything we do.鈥
The initiative will cover not only the U.N. Secretariat but all its funds and agencies and offices in Geneva, Nairobi and Vienna. It will be led by U.N. Undersecretary-General for Policy Guy Ryder, who will head a task force of top officials from the U.N. system, Guterres said.
The U.N. budget for 2025, which was adopted last December, is $3.72 billion. The U.S., with the world's biggest economy, is expected to pay 22%. China, with the second-largest economy, just had its share raised to 20%.
Guterres said he hopes to move as soon as possible to take action in areas where he has authority and will urge member states 鈥渢o consider the many decisions that rest with them.鈥
