UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 22 (WSH) — The United Nations has launched one of its most ambitious organizational overhauls in decades through the UN80 Initiative Action Plan, presented to member states on Friday by Under-Secretary-General for Policy Guy Ryder.
The comprehensive blueprint consolidates 87 existing reform proposals into 31 work packages across three core workstreams, creating a unified framework for modernizing peace operations, humanitarian response, development coordination, and back-office functions.
“This plan brings structure, transparency and coherence to our reform efforts,” Ryder told an Informal Meeting of the General Assembly. “It clarifies who is responsible for what, and on what timeline.”
The Action Plan represents the operational core of the UN80 Initiative, launched in March 2025 and endorsed by the General Assembly. Rather than redefining the UN’s mission, it focuses on restructuring how the organization works – modernizing outdated systems, reducing duplication, and strengthening impact across all operations.
Key transformations include new models for peace operations, implementation of the New Humanitarian Compact, potential agency mergers including UNDP-UNOPS and UNFPA-UN Women, and a complete overhaul of regional capacities and country team configurations.
A new governance structure will oversee implementation, with a Steering Committee chaired monthly by the Secretary-General and a weekly Task Force led by Ryder monitoring progress. The reforms come as the UN faces a projected 25% budget reduction, falling from $66 to $50 billion between 2024 and 2026.
To ensure transparency, the Secretariat has launched an interactive public dashboard tracking each work package’s objectives, leadership, and connection to foundational reports. The platform will be regularly updated as the reform effort transitions from planning to implementation.
“The months ahead can be a moment of real transformation,” Ryder told member states, “if we maintain momentum and approach this initiative in the right spirit.”
