Africa

A demonstration within the confines of the UN Secretariat in New York.

By Thalif Deen
UNITED NATIONS, May 12 2025 (IPS)

As discussions on the restructuring of the United Nations– including a possible merger of UN agencies and staff lay-offs system-wide — continue at the highest levels of the Secretariat—the Staff Union (UNSU) is demanding an active presence in the ongoing talks.

A proposed resolution, which is expected to be adopted at the UNSU general meeting on May 14, is very specific in its demands.

The Staff Council:

1. Calls upon the Secretary-General to formally include the United Nations Staff Union (UNSU) as a full participant in all aspects of the UN80 Initiative, including by having designated representatives of the Union in the UN80 Task Force, notably in its Working Group, with a view to ensure staff representation in the deliberation and decision-making processes.

2. Requests that the Staff Union be granted equal consultative status within the Task Force, including its Working Group, alongside other stakeholders, to provide input on matters directly impacting staff welfare, organizational efficiency and institutional reform.

3. Emphasizes that Staff Union involvement in change management process with such a global scale/impact is critical to provide insights into daily operations and identify potential inefficiencies and challenges for improving the effectiveness of the organization.

Noting further that, this would inherently foster ownership, reduce resistance and ensure smooth implementation that would promote a culture of continuous improvement, driving long term success.

4. Emphasizes the precedent of Staff Union involvement in pivotal institutional decisions during extraordinary circumstances, such as the pandemic, and requests this to be acknowledged as a guiding principle for ongoing and future consultations.

5. Recommends that the Secretariat report to the appropriate administrative and advisory bodies on measures taken to implement this resolution, ensuring compliance with existing staff-management consultation frameworks

UN staffers outside the Secretariat building.

Currently, over 6,400 staffers work in the 39-storeyed Secretariat building in New York, according to one report.

Guy Candusso, a former First Vice-President of the UN Staff Union, told IPS there is value to have staff engaged in the early stages of the reform process.

“I have seen that sometimes staff have come up with better ideas than management. However, over the years, staff consultations have been marginalized to be more like information briefings (after the real decisions were made),” he said.

Meanwhile, the Staff Council:

1. Emphasizes that, as a matter of principle, staff members should not be paid less for work performed at the same or higher level than they are currently performing or have previously performed;

2. Calls upon the Office of Human Resources (OHR) to withdraw the Guidelines and revised versions in light of their unjustified and arbitrary measures and the negative impact on staff that they entail;

3. Requests the immediate reinstatement of earlier guidelines and practices whereas heads of entity are given the discretion to award step-upon recruitment, in line with Staff Rule 3.3(b), in a manner commensurate with a candidate or Staff Member’s experience;

4. Urges OHR to consult with and integrate the perspectives of staff members, hiring managers, heads of entity, and Member States prior to issuing or reissuing any further related guidance;

5. Further urges OHR to immediately inform all Secretariat staff members in a clear and concise broadcast, as well as a town hall meeting, explaining the implications of the Guidelines, should they remain in place for any period following the adoption of this resolution, and to communicate expeditiously about further consultation and revision of the Guidelines;

6. Instructs the leadership to share this resolution with the Chef de Cabinet, the Under-Secretaries-General of the Department of Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance and the Department of Operational Support, as well as the Assistant Secretary-General of the Office of Human Resources and all heads of office/departments represented in the Staff Council; and

7. Further instructs the leadership to circulate this resolution via an email broadcast to all members of the United Nations Staff Union.

Asked for a response on an earlier story on Staff Union demands, UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told IPS last week: “We fully understand that the current situation is a cause of concern, and anxiety, for many of our staff.”

“It is important to note that we are in the initial phase of formulating positions and proposals. Consultations have taken place, and they will continue to do so, as the insights of staff are valued and will be carefully considered.”

At the global town hall meeting in March 2025, the Secretary-General emphasized that the UN80 Initiative is a management-led effort. However, he of course committed to consulting with staff representatives through the Staff-Management Committee (SMC) on decisions impacting the staff.

In April, during the annual meeting of the SMC, management briefed the staff representatives on the UN80 Initiative. Also in April, a dedicated UN80 Initiative page was created on iSeek, inviting staff at large to submit ideas via a suggestion box. The responsive was impressive as over 1,400 suggestions have been received. Management will review all of the suggestions, said Dujarric.

A dedicated extraordinary SMC meeting will be held in June to further amplify consultation with staff representatives on the UN80 Initiative, he assured.

Meanwhile the UNSU has also conducted a general survey of its constituents between 11 March and 11 April 2025.

An Executive Summary of the results read:

– A total of 1,271 responses were received, which resulted in a response rate of 15.88 %1 . Overall, the survey has a confidence level of 95% with a margin of error of +/- 2.5%.

From a statistical perspective, those results are considered highly representative. It should also be noted that the majority of respondents (85%) were based in New York, with 33% in the General Service, 60% in the professional and 7% in other job categories.

– Due to confidentiality issues, questions requesting individual comments are not included in the attached document. The top key topics affecting the respondents were career development opportunities (58.5%), cost of living in comparison to salaries and other emoluments (54.6%) and job security (47.6%).

– Only 31% of respondents believed that there were credible mechanisms to ensure accountability within their departments.

– Budget cuts (87%), organizational restructuring (56,8%) and changes in leadership/priorities (27.6%) were seen as the greatest risks to job security for the — respondents. Only 31.6% of respondents felt secure in their current position.

– Only 25% believed that the hiring process is transparent, or merit based (27%). 62% of respondents did not foresee any possibilities for career progression and 60% did not feel there is enough support for career development and support to staff to transition to new roles.

– Of note, 77% of respondents had primary hybrid working arrangements (mix of on-site and remote), with a majority (61.3%) working two days a week from home.

– The main benefits of telecommuting for the respondents are avoiding telecommuting time and/or costs (79.5%), better work-life balance (78.4%) and improved efficiency and productivity (69.3%).

A majority of respondents (60%) believed that the existing flexible open-plan/hot desking and shared workplace arrangements should not be maintained, and that cubicles or private offices are seen as the main optimal on-site workplace arrangement (42%).

On a positive note, 60% of respondents felt that occupational safety and health measures were adequately addressed in the workplace. However, only 34% of respondents felt that existing mechanisms are effective in addressing discrimination based on race in the workplace, with 28% having observed such incidents.

Furthermore, 45% of respondents believed that the workplace is accessible and inclusive for staff with disabilities.

IPS UN Bureau Report

 

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Philippines ranks among the top contributors of marine litter in Asia. By transitioning to a circular economy, the country is fighting plastics pollution and climate crises. Photo Credit: Jilson Tiu / UNDP Philippines
 
The World Circular Economy Forum (WCEF2025) will take place at São Paulo, Brazil, from 13 to 14 May 2025. In addition, accelerator sessions will be held by WCEF collaborators on 15 and 16 May, online and around the globe.

By Marcos Neto
NEW YORK, May 12 2025 (IPS)

From environmental degradation to biodiversity loss and mounting waste, we are facing the dire consequences of a reckless economic model that extracts, consumes, and discards. But there is an urgent alternative—one that is not just possible, but essential.

The circular economy is more than an environmental fix; it’s a smarter, more resilient strategy for sustainable development. It has the power to revolutionize how we produce, consume, and thrive within the planet’s limits. This could be the most critical economic transformation of our era.

Today, our global economy remains overwhelmingly linear: we extract, consume, and discard. As a result, we generate more than 2 billion tonnes of waste annually, a figure projected to rise to 3.4 billion tonnes by 2050. Meanwhile, resource extraction has tripled since 1970, driving 90% of biodiversity loss, and 55% of all greenhouse gas emissions. It is responsible for 40% of particulate matter health related impacts, driving us to exceed safe planetary boundary limits beyond which current and future generations cannot continue to develop and thrive.

The current system is not only unsustainable but also unraveling the very foundation of development.

Circular economies grow by reducing resource use. They focus on reusing, regenerating, and minimizing waste in all sectors, like agriculture, energy, and consumer goods. This ensures a fair transition to a low-carbon, sustainable future. Switching to a circular model could bring $4.5 trillion in economic benefits by 2030, cut emissions, create stable jobs, and open new green markets.

To realize this future, five interconnected changes must be implemented immediately.

1. Policy leadership to shift the economic paradigm. Governments and partners must enact bold policies and regulations that move markets from linear to circular. For example, by integrating circular economy measures into their national climate plans, or Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs). NDCs and NBSAPs are sovereign, politically-backed tools that can serve as investment plans – helping not only lower greenhouse gas emissions but also restore and protect ecological systems and drive sustainable development priorities.

Other regulatory measures are instruments such as extended producer responsibility (EPR) and standards to ensure that products are durable, repairable, recyclable and safe. In Viet Nam, the Government has integrated circular economy principles into national policies, with the promulgation of a National Action Plan on Circular Economy, the promotion of eco-design as well as EPR mechanisms for electronics, plastics, textiles, and science and technologies for agriculture.

2. Data and metrics to guide decisions. Many countries lack sufficient data needed to advance a circular economy transition. We need better quality data – more robust, complete, and consistent – to track progress, align incentives, and inform policy. With better quality data, we can assess, prioritize, and monitor circular interventions for greater impact. For this, a stronger case needs to be made for a global baseline on material use in line with work led by the International Resource Panel and findings from the Global Environment Outlook.

In the Dominican Republic, the Rescate Ozama (“Rescue the Ozama”) project conducted extensive research on plastic pollution in the Ozama River, collecting data on waste types, volumes, and local management practices to support informed decision-making and develop targeted interventions.

3. Incentives that reward circular innovation. Financial systems need to recognize, incentivize, and reward circular business models—from the development of bio-based materials to reverse logistics. Such incentives have a direct impact on the investment and policy decisions made by both public and private sector stakeholders engaged in productive sectors, key to circularity.

In Serbia, the ‘Circular Communities’ project, with the support of UNDP, awards grants to innovative ideas that contribute to the development of national and local circular economy strategic frameworks. More than 60 innovative initiatives were supported in the last 3 years, ranging from producing interior design materials from waste glass to involving informal waste pickers in the film industry’s waste management.

4. Infrastructure for circular ecosystems. Continued investment is needed in infrastructure. This includes more convenient reuse, refill and repair logistics, more reliable waste collection and sorting facilities, safer and more effective recycling plants, and renewable energy systems. With this infrastructure, circular systems can become more viable and scalable. Without the physical systems to support reuse, recycling, and regeneration, however, circular principles will remain theory rather than practice.

In many developing countries, the lack of infrastructure remains a major barrier, with over 2 billion people without access to basic waste collection. To address such challenges, India’s Plastic Waste Management initiative is developing a replicable model for cities that integrates innovation, social inclusion, and environmental leadership to reduce waste, enhance resource efficiency, and establish closed-loop recycling systems through Material Recovery Facilities.

5. A cultural shift toward regenerative consumption. Citizens must become active agents of change—buying less in contexts of over-consumption and reusing more. This requires not only transparency about a product’s contents but also traceability of where materials are extracted and products are made, under what conditions, and by whom. Studies have identified over 13,000 chemicals associated with plastics, many of which are known to be harmful to human health and the environment. Greater transparency can empower not only policymakers but also consumers to make more informed decisions. Education and awareness are as crucial as infrastructure and investment incentives.

These shifts are not abstract ideals: they are already taking root, often led by countries in the Global South demonstrating bold vision and practical solutions. In fact, Indigenous Peoples have implemented circular solutions for millennia, whereby nothing is discarded but instead embraced as raw material for the next cycle of growth and renewal, drawing on lessons from ‘nature’s economy’.

This month, the World Circular Economy Forum 2025 will gather forward-looking thinkers and doers and present the game-changers in the circular economy sphere in São Paulo, Brazil. Not only to reflect on progress and share best practices and experiences but to forge the partnerships that will carry this vision forward. We stand at a crossroads: a throwaway economy on one side, and a circular, inclusive, resilient future on the other. Let us choose wisely. The future is not linear—and neither is the path to a better world.

WCEF2025 is organized jointly by the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra, FIESP (Federation of Industries of the State of São Paulo), CNI (Brazilian National Industry Confederation) and SENAI-SP (Brazilian National Industrial Learning Service), in close collaboration with international partner organizations, including United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Free of charge, open to all online.

IPS UN Bureau

 

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Excerpt:

Marcos Neto is UN Assistant Secretary General and Director of UNDP’s Bureau for Policy and Programme Support.

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Capt Ibrahim Traoré, 37, is portraying himself as a champion of pan-Africanism.

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