UN seeks 20% cut in staff to help deal with funding shortfall

UN staff cuts aim to reduce budget by 15-20%, impacting key offices and agencies, part of UN80 reform initiative.

More than 60 United Nations offices, agencies and operations have been ordered to submit proposals by mid-June to cut 20% of their staff, as part of a major reform effort to consolidate operations in the face of a critical funding crunch.

The cuts affect about 14,000 posts covered by the regular budget, or about 2,800 posts, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters on Friday (May 30, 2025).

These include staff in the UN's political and humanitarian offices, and its agencies helping refugees, promoting gender equality and dealing with international trade, the environment and cities.

The UN agency supporting Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, is also on the list.

UN Controller Chandramouli Ramanathan said in a memo to the affected agencies that the staff cuts are part of Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' goal of achieving a reduction of between 15% and 20% in the UN's current budget of $3.72 billion.

The cuts are part of the UN80 reform initiative launched by Mr. Guterres in March as the world body approaches its 80th anniversary later this year.

The UN chief has dismissed any relationship with the cuts to foreign aid and other programmes by U.S. President Donald Trump.