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UN GATE, March 21 – With the United Nations facing budget cuts and its Secretary General on a junket to Bangladesh, the following from inside the UN was leaked to Inner City Press: 

Dear Council Members,  The message below, which was circulated to you, reflects the outcome of our meeting between the Staff Federation and the USG-UNDSS, Mr. Gilles Michoud. In addition to the details provided in the message, I would like to take this opportunity to summarize the implications of the $30 million budget cut for UNDSS: 

Due to the recent USAID funding cut to the UN, approximately $30 million has been removed from the extra-budgetary (XB) resources, resulting in a significant reduction in staffing. 

As a consequence, UNDSS will no longer have a presence in approximately 35 to 45 countries, severely impacting field operations.  In the remaining 120 countries where UNDSS will maintain a presence, regional hubs will be established.  UN agencies will need to reconsider their operational footprint in countries where UNDSS will no longer be present.  In the short term, approximately 100 UNDSS staff members will be affected, with more at risk if the situation does not improve.  The USG emphasized that UNDSS is not a protection agency but a risk management and analysis entity.

This distinction should be clearly communicated to staff.  I advocated for our security colleagues in the field, particularly those in UNAMI who are facing downsizing in the coming months. However, I was informed that there will be no available positions to absorb affected personnel. The USG candidly stated that he cannot justify bringing someone from the field when he is already forced to send his own staff home.  The UN is currently experiencing its worst liquidity crisis since its establishment. The situation is expected to deteriorate further before any improvement occurs.

 I will continue to follow up with DPO and DOS regarding our position papers and other matters related to the future of peacekeeping operations. 

Please stay tuned for further updates.    Best regards,  Milan Victor Dawoh President-United Nations Field Staff Union

   Message sent on behalf of Mr. Bill Blanchard, DFO   Dear colleagues in DFO,  I would like to update you with the latest developments on the financial situation for DFO.  We have received some bad news from USAID, whose extra-budgetary (XB) funding provides for a very large proportion of DSS's crisis response work in Ukraine, Gaza and Sudan, as well as a relatively smaller proportion in Nigeria and Ethiopia. 

Most of this has now stopped and I am not optimistic that we will have any remaining after about May, let alone into 2026.  This means that our XB funding will fall from above $20m a year to around $1m if we can't find other donors.  We will need to use the Jointly Financed Activities account (JFA) to absorb some positions, particularly in Ukraine, Gaza and Sudan.  Meanwhile, the Controller has announced a recruitment freeze, initially for six months. 

We will not be able to run normal recruitment processes on positions funded by regular budget or JFA or the peace-keeping budget.   It is vital that we continue to retain the agility to be able to respond to the crises of the world, so we need to be able to move people where they are needed.  We are exploring how we do this.

 As he mentioned in his talk to staff, the USG went to the Finance and Budget Network (FBN) meeting on 10 March, where he presented two budgets for 2026, one with a flat maintenance budget and one with a 20% decrease.  He explained what this decrease would mean for DSS (JFA is used by DPSS and EO as well as DFO).  Even if we start by maximizing savings on non-post costs, and if we use vacant positions and forthcoming retirements fully, under a 20% cut we would have to significantly reduce our filled positions in both HQ and the field.

 We would have to prioritize rigorously and change our model in large parts of the world, for example by extending regional coverage and nationalizing positions.  The FBN asked the USG a range of questions and we are now preparing a more detailed briefing for the FBN to consider at their meeting on 21 March.  The FBN was clear that the brutality of the financial crisis that the UN and its agencies are facing means that security will also need to absorb cuts.  We can therefore expect that DFO budgets will be cut.  We don’t yet know by how much.

 As you know, the reduction in AFP funding is affecting discussions about Locally Cost-Shared Security Budgets (LCSSB) around the world.  We have asked all our P/C/SAs to model 25% cuts for 2026 as a preliminary precaution.  Some of you are already facing pressure to reduce recently agreed 2025 budgets.  We are also funded by the Regular Budget and Peacekeeping Budget for some posts in DFO. 

As well as being subject to the freeze, I expect that they too will come under pressure.  There is a risk of liquidity issues towards the end of the year which is why we have a hiring freeze.  We have been able to withdraw from the Global Mobility scheme in order to be able to concentrate on managing the financial situation.  My apologies to those of you who applied for this in good faith, but the truth is that we can't guarantee that all the jobs would continue to exist which means the circular sequences of moves would get stuck.

  As some of you know we had just completed a Strategic Resource Allocation process which would have repositioned us for the security risks we face today.  We will not be able to proceed with this as planned, but it gives us a data-based methodology for considering where any required reductions will be made in new, tougher circumstances.  I expect that no geographical area of the world will be immune.

 We can be sure, if we face cuts anywhere near 20%, that it will affect both national and international colleagues.  As the USG mentioned, we will consider whether part of our response should be agreed terminations.  We have not yet considered how we would run any downsizing process.  All that we can say at this stage is that there are some well-established UN rules to follow, and that we would want to be as humane and fair as possible.   I am aware that some of you will be feeling uncertain and may worry what it means for you personally as well as for the Department. 

As soon as we can give you substantive news we will do so.  In the meantime, I have no doubt that there will be lots of unfounded rumours, so please keep your disinformation antennae up.  Please look after yourselves and those around you, in and beyond DSS.  Those of you who are line managers please check in on your teams.  Please remember that our counselors are available to support you through stressful times.  

My own self-management of stress, which I don't always get right, involves stopping doom-scrolling through the news, talking with my family and playing the piano - you will have your own methods.  The most important thing we can do is to keep on doing a good professional job in support of the UN, especially important when it is under attack and underfunded.  A smaller UN will need an excellent security team just as much as a bigger UN does.  The world is not getting safer, and the UN will still want to reach the most dangerous places.  We will continue to be essential.  We will let you know when we get more clarity. 

Best wishes, Bill  Bill Blanchard Director Division of Field Operations United Nations Department of Safety and Security

 Inner City Press will have more on this.

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