The United Nations has ordered over 60 of its offices, agencies, and operations to propose staff cuts. The cuts are expected to reach 20 percent of their staff by mid-June. This is part of a major reform effort to consolidate operations.
The reform is happening in the face of a critical funding crunch. The cuts could affect approximately 14,000 posts covered by the regular budget. This equates to about 2,800 positions, according to UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric.
The cuts are part of Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' goal. He aims to reduce the UN's current budget by 15 to 20 percent. The current budget is USD 3.72 billion.
The UN80 reform initiative was launched by Guterres in March. This initiative comes as the world body approaches its 80th anniversary. The proposed cuts must be submitted to the controller by June 13.
These cuts will be incorporated into Guterres' proposed 2026 budget. The General Assembly is expected to adopt it in December. Several UN agencies were already planning to slash jobs or cut costs.