The plan does not introduce new proposals but sets out how the United Nations system intends to advance those already on the table: 87 actions, grouped into 31 work packages divided into 3 areas of work, ranging from peace operations and humanitarian response to technology, shared services and institutional mergers.
“Its objective is to provide structure, transparency and coherence as well as an operational framework to advance all aspects of the UN80 Initiative – and also to allow you to see how each element will move forward: who is responsible for what and on what timetable,” Ryder told Member States during an informal meeting of the General Assembly.
A plan to change the UN
The Action Plan is at the heart of the UN80 Initiative, a bold system-wide transformation to make the United Nations system work better – so that every dollar, decision and mandate delivers better results for people and the planet.
Launched in March 2025, and welcomed by the General Assembly in resolution 79/318The Initiative is not intended to redefine what the United Nations system does. The focus is on how it is structured, managed and coordinated: modernizing outdated arrangements, reducing bureaucracy, fragmentation and duplication, and enhancing impact.
The UN80 Initiative is progressing through three streams of work – all brought together in the Action Plan: proposals aimed at improving efficiency across the United Nations system, with initial proposals reflected in the revised estimates for the program budget proposed by the Secretariat for 2026; THE Report of the review of the execution of the mandatecurrently under study by the Member State-led committee Informal ad hoc working group; And “Shifting paradigms: United to deliver”, the Secretary-General’s report outlining potential structural and programmatic realignments.
The Action Plan brings these three streams of work under one roof, translating their recommendations into a clear structure that identifies responsibilities, deadlines and the intergovernmental bodies that will consider the proposals.
“If we maintain the momentum and approach this initiative in the right spirit, the coming months could be a time of real transformation,” Ryder told member states.
From three reports to 31 work packages
Concretely, the Action Plan is a road map. It takes the dense architecture of the UN80 Initiative and breaks it down into work packages, ranging from discrete technical changes to large-scale system changes.
Some of the biggest programs focus on what senior officials call the “big tickets” for a more cohesive United Nations system. On the peace and security side, this means new models for peace operations, including how tasks and resources are delegated to entities best placed to carry them out. In the humanitarian field, he is advancing the New Humanitarian Compact to simplify emergency response plans, integrate supply chains and expand common services so that every dollar can do more.
Another group of work focuses on how the UN development system is configured, including a “reset” of regional capacities and a reconfiguration of UN country teams that better combine expertise and cost-effectiveness.
The plan will also advance assessments of possible mergers between UNDP and UNOPS, and UNFPA And UN Womenand the way forward for UNAIDS.
Crucially, the Action Plan places emphasis on bringing together all the “operational tools” that underpin the daily work of the United Nations system: common data; shared technology platforms; unified services for supply chains and all other back-office functions; and a simpler approach to training and research.
Steering committee and working group at the center
A new Steering Committee, chaired monthly by the Secretary-General, will provide strategic direction and coherence among leaders across the United Nations system.
Within it, the UN80 working group, chaired by Mr Ryder, will meet weekly to coordinate implementation, monitor deadlines and prepare recommendations for consideration by the steering committee.
“As a basic principle, all actions will be undertaken in accordance with applicable rules and procedures, as set out in the Charter, as well as decisions, resolutions and established practices of relevant intergovernmental bodies,” recalled Mr. Ryder.
He noted that the Action Plan contains proposals under three different decision-making scenarios. The first scenario concerns proposals that fall under the authority of the Secretary-General. The second concerns proposals that require additional work, including potential mergers outlined in the Work Stream 3 report. The third scenario concerns proposals involving financial considerations related to the program budget and the peacekeeping operations budget and are submitted to the General Assembly for consideration and approval in accordance with standard procedures.
Not a cure for cash shortage – but part of the answer
This plan is being implemented at a time when the United Nations system continues to face severe funding cuts, with system resources estimated to fall by 25% (from $66 billion to $50 billion) in 2026 compared to 2024.
The Secretary-General has made it clear that the UN80 Initiative is not a solution to the financial crisis of the United Nations system but a commitment to protecting maximum impact, including in the most vulnerable contexts.
A public dashboard for a complex redesign
To help make sense of a reform that affects almost every aspect of the United Nations system, the Secretariat has launched an interactive site Dashboard of UN80 Initiative actions.
The online platform allows users to see, at a glance, each work package, its objectives and leadership, and its links to the three core reports. The dashboard will be expanded with a timeline and milestones and updated regularly as work progresses.
For an initiative whose success will ultimately be measured not by new documents but by its real-world impact, the Action Plan represents a turning point: moving from conception to a phase where progress, gaps and results will be tracked in one place.
Originally published at Almouwatin.com
