AS DELIVERED

Secretary-General, thank you for your presentation. As we have noted previously, the United States is committed to your reform efforts and initiatives to make the UN system more transparent, accountable, and efficient. Since we are here in ECOSOC today, it is a good opportunity to focus on ECOSOC reform. One of our goals is a significant reduction in wasteful duplication across the development system. Your June report recognizes the importance of Member State work on ECOSOC and General Assembly alignment and revitalization – important initiatives which we support.

Development reform will have implications for the work of ECOSOC, the General Assembly, DESA, the Regional Economic Commissions, and beyond; efforts to address inefficiencies must reach all these institutions and we must be mindful of the competencies and comparative advantages inside and outside the development system as we consider adjustments. As such proposals are considered, we must ask how they reduce duplication, add coherence, and allow us to better focus our work. We look forward to considering your December report.

Thank you.