Simon Manley:<\/strong> I look back on my time here very positively, even though the multilateral system has been facing extraordinary challenges since I arrived in 2021. I came just before Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine, before the coup in Sudan and the horrific civil war that followed, and before Hamas\u2019s 7 October 2023 attack. I also arrived before many new leaders took the helm of UN agencies in Geneva \u2013 which is one reason why I remain optimistic. These are outstanding individuals. There are obvious political and financial challenges to multilateralism, but even in tough times, we\u2019ve shown that collective action is better than going at it alone. The recent pandemic agreement at the World Health Organization is a clear example \u2013 as was the WTO fisheries deal. I\u2019m a firm admirer of Geneva\u2019s multilateral ecosystem.<\/p>\n But with job cuts, relocations and cost pressures, there is a real risk of that ecosystem fragmenting. Where would you draw the line?<\/strong><\/p>\n Over more than a century, Geneva has developed a dense network of organisations that thrive from their proximity. One of its big advantages over New York is the strong presence of civil society. Its participation in the Human Rights Council is absolutely vital. That said, I regret that the private sector doesn\u2019t have similar access to the WTO. Job relocations seem inevitable \u2013 it\u2019s up to each organisation to make those decisions. But the danger is when each agency makes a decision individually, which might make sense internally but which could also undermine the coherence and effectiveness of the whole system.<\/p>\n The UN secretary-general\u2019s UN reform initiative \u2013 UN80 \u2013 involves relocations and shutting down certain units. Do you support it?<\/strong><\/p>\n We fully support it, because we in the UK believe in the UN. The UN does a good job, but it could do even better with less duplication, less competition for funding between agencies and more cooperation. There have been many reform attempts over the years, but too often they haven\u2019t delivered what was needed. That\u2019s why it\u2019s so important we succeed this time.<\/p>\n Yet many international staff in Geneva feel UN80 is too opaque and driven by turf wars between agency heads, with no shared vision.<\/strong><\/p>\n It\u2019s true that there\u2019s concern here in Geneva \u2013 which is why it was so helpful that Guy Ryder, head of the UN80 task force \u2013 and a former Geneva insider himself (as former director-general of the ILO \u2013 ed.), \u2013 came to explain the process. The anxiety is a reflection of a well-known issue \u2013 the relationship between New York and Geneva. Some missions \u2013 not ours \u2013 don\u2019t have a particularly close connection with New York, so people here often feel out of the loop. That said, it\u2019s also true that some of the cuts have had more immediate consequences in Geneva than in New York. There\u2019s a slight imbalance.<\/p>\n What we need is a system-wide approach. People here, in Vienna and elsewhere, need to feel some ownership of the UN80 process. But given the circumstances, no one should expect miracles.<\/p>\n Has Geneva rested too much on its laurels?<\/strong><\/p>\n We\u2019ve relied too heavily on the budgetary generosity of the United States, particularly under the Biden administration. Humanitarian agencies have seen needs skyrocket due to a proliferation of conflicts and the growing impact of climate change. And because the Biden administration was relatively generous, dependency on US funding deepened. But the US had warned us: don\u2019t become too reliant, because everything could change depending on who wins the 2024 election.<\/p>\n For agencies heavily dependent on US contributions, the challenge will be huge. It\u2019s a very difficult moment, but we will get through it. It is especially tough for people who will lose their jobs, but also for people on the ground who will receive smaller food rations or for victims of sexual violence who will lose access to care. The cuts made here have very real consequences. It\u2019s not just bureaucrats losing their posts.<\/p>\n Still, the hope is that on the other side of this, the system will be more agile, stronger and more ready to collaborate.<\/p>\n
![\"be131a6_upload-1-xphtq3dm6ks4-simon-manley-1511.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/genevasolutions.news\/placeholder.png\" "\\"Simon")
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