Statement by H.E. Ambassador MIKANAGI Tomohiro, Deputy Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations, at the Informal Meeting of the Plenary to hear a briefing on the UN80 Initiative

Thank you, Madame President,

At the outset, I would like to express my appreciation for the informative briefing by the distinguished briefers today.

In the face of multifaceted difficulties, we must discuss how we can make the UN more efficient and effective by eliminating duplication, fostering closer collaboration among the entire UN system by preventing silos. Ultimately, the Organization must function as "One UN" to address complex global challenges more efficiently.

In this context, regarding Work Package 14, the Unified Services Roadmap, Japan particularly expresses its strong support for the integration of UN system-wide operational services. We hope this initiative will mitigate fragmentation across entities, thereby enhancing overall management and promoting greater efficiency. We believe delivery of assistance on the ground should not be affected, but we welcome reduction of duplication in procurement and administration, which enables reallocation towards its core missions. We recognize this as a crucial technical reform that the Secretariat is well-positioned to proactively undertake. Japan looks forward to receiving the roadmap tomorrow and also receiving updates on its progress and anticipated outcomes in due course.

Japan acknowledges the ongoing efforts on Work Package 27 regarding the environment.  Our expectation is that any new initiatives will serve to maximize the efficiency of the delivery of environmental support by increasing greater system-wide coordination, coherence, and science-based effectiveness, as well as programmatic synergies. In that context, we would appreciate further clarification regarding the proposed “one-stop shops” under the recommendation 9. For example, Expertise on Demand in the context of Regional Reset is designed to address the needs of Member States. Also there are existing support mechanisms, such as Regional Collaboration Centres, provided by the UNFCCC secretariat and related entities. We would like to ask how the proposed “one-stop shops” will differentiate itself from these other mechanisms.

Japan stands ready to engage constructively and appreciate continuous transparency to assess the proposed reform initiatives.

I thank you.