The UN General Assembly (UNGA) has established an informal ad hoc working group to consider the proposals contained in the report of the Secretary-General on mandate implementation review under Workstream 2 of the UN80 Initiative and to identify principles and follow-up actions to improve the creation, delivery, and review of mandates.

The Working Group is open to all Member States and observers. It will begin its work at the UNGA’s 80th session, no later than 19 September 2025, and conclude its work by the end of March 2026. The working group will provide the UNGA with an update on progress by 15 December 2025.

By the text (A/79/L.119/Rev.1) of 27 August 2025, the UNGA “[l]ooks forward to the forthcoming proposals of the Secretary-General on structural changes and programme realignments, which will further inform efforts to enhance the overall effectiveness, efficiency, responsiveness, resilience and overall impact of the United Nations system across all three pillars of its work.” It encourages the Working Group to “strive for consensus” in its deliberations and requests the Secretary-General to provide it with substantive support for the effective discharge of its mandate.

In a letter dated 2 September 2025, UNGA President Philemon Yang informs Member States that he, in consultation with Annalena Baerbock, President of UNGA’s 80th session, has appointed Permanent Representative of New Zealand Carolyn Schwalger and Permanent Representative of Jamaica Brian Wallace as co-chairs of the Informal Ad Hoc Working Group.

Launched by the UN Secretary-General in March, the UN80 initiative aims to support a more aligned, efficient, and results-oriented UN system, conducting work under three workstreams: efficiencies and improvements; mandate implementation review; and structural changes and programmatic realignments.

Following the UNGA’s adoption of the text establishing the Informal Ad Hoc Working Group at its plenary meeting on 2 September, Iraq, on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, described the UN80 Initiative as “an important step in enhancing the role of the UN in addressing global challenges.” He said any proposals under the Initiative must respect the UN Charter, strengthen multilateralism, and address developing countries’ priorities and concerns.

Australia, also for Canada and New Zealand, underscored the “evident” and “urgent” need for meaningful and substantive reform of the UN system, placing the primary responsibility for delivering outcomes with Member States, particularly with respect to Workstream 2, which “addresses the unintended consequences of the way Member States create and review mandates to ensure they are impactful over time.” [UN Meetings Coverage] [UN80 Initiative]