Ministry Statements & Speeches:
New Zealand is pleased to participate in this First Regular Session of the Executive Board for 2026. We commend UNFPA for its steadfast leadership in advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights, gender equality, and the empowerment of women and girls – particularly in a global environment marked by conflict, climate‑driven pressures, demographic shifts, and growing inequalities. UNFPA’s work remains indispensable to supporting the rights, dignity, and wellbeing of women and young people across all regions.
New Zealand remains firmly committed to the full implementation of the ICPD Programme of Action and to accelerating progress toward the three transformative results: ending unmet need for family planning, ending preventable maternal deaths, and ending gender‑based violence and harmful practices. These goals are central to equitable development and resilient societies.
New Zealand is proud to be a long‑standing partner of UNFPA. We were pleased to confirm last year a new multi‑year core funding arrangement, recognising that high‑quality, flexible core resources are essential for enabling UNFPA to operate effectively – particularly in an era of constrained financing and rising demand. We encourage fellow Member States to prioritise predictable core funding to sustain UNFPA’s reach and impact.
As a Pacific country, New Zealand underscores the importance of ensuring UNFPA’s work continues to reflect the priorities of Pacific Island Countries, including strengthening population data systems, supporting resilient health systems, and advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights in contexts facing climate impacts, geographic isolation, and limited service accessibility. A strong UNFPA presence, aligned with national leadership, is vital in our region.
New Zealand acknowledges the changes the UNFPA leadership have made to align the organisation’s operations with the realities of a drastic reduction in voluntary funding. While such measures are clearly essential, we recognise the difficult decisions this has required and the toll this will have taken on staff.
New Zealand also wishes to highlight the importance of ongoing reform efforts under the UN80 initiative, which forms part of the Executive Board’s governance considerations during this session. These reforms represent a significant opportunity to ensure a more coherent, efficient, and impactful UN development system.
We emphasise four key points:
- First, UN80 must remain focused on achieving a UN system that is leaner, more coherent, and more effective, capable of delivering meaningful results despite fiscal constraints and heightened global needs.
- Second, transparency is essential. Member States must have clear insight into required decisions, responsible actors, and timelines.
- Third, reforms – particularly those affecting country and regional‑level operations – must be developed through broad, meaningful consultation with Member States and UN stakeholders. These reforms will shape how the UN operates on the ground, including across the Pacific, and must therefore be adaptable to diverse contexts and tested appropriately.
- Fourth, New Zealand looks forward to further clarity on the timeline and process for assessing any proposed organisational adjustments, including potential mergers. Such decisions must be guided by robust business cases focused on operational efficiency and improved impact, without reopening the core mandates of UN entities. Executive Boards must remain closely engaged as central governance bodies.
New Zealand remains committed to working constructively with UNFPA, fellow Member States, and the broader UN family to ensure the organisation is positioned to deliver effectively for those most in need. We will continue to support a multilateral development system that is inclusive, fit for purpose, and responsive to the needs of communities across the globe – and in the Pacific region, which remains central to our engagement.