Statement by H.E. Ambassador UMETSU Shigeru, Deputy Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations, at the Conclusion of the Main Part of the 80th Session of the Fifth Committee of the United Nations General Assembly

Madame Chair,
 
At the outset, Japan would like to express its sincere appreciation to you, to the Bureau, to the facilitators, and to the Secretariat, as well as to all colleagues and experts from Member States, for their tireless efforts and constructive engagement that have enabled us to reach this agreement.  
 
We welcome the adoption of this budget as the first tangible outcome of the UN80 initiative. It sends an important and positive signal that meaningful progress is possible, and it encourages other workstreams under UN80 to continue their work with confidence and momentum, which will materialize further efficiency for the UN system.
 
Japan strongly supports the continuity of UN80 reforms, especially strengthened budget discipline and informed decision-making of budget including through transparent PBIs information, and we welcome those elements are appropriately reflected in the outcome. At the same time, we underscore the need for further fiscal discipline, not only through 2027 but also beyond, and we should collectively continue our work to make the United Nations financially sustainable in the long-term. In implementing UN80 initiative, we believe that due attention should be paid to geographical diversity by closing the gap between the desirable range and actual staff number for unrepresented and underrepresented countries in the Secretariat.

Madame Chair,
 
The resolution reflects a shared understanding among Member States that UN80 initiative is not a one-time reform exercise, but a continuing process. In this regard, next year’s budget negotiations should take into account progress to be made under workstream 2 and 3.
 
Going forward, we must remain committed to working together toward further reform, while ensuring the efficient and effective mandate delivery across all three pillars of the United Nations.
 
In this spirit, Japan stands ready to continue engaging constructively in the next phase of UN80.
 
Thank you.