New York-As part of the UN reform agenda, Liberia has called for a recalibration of the United Nations Resident Coordinator System to strengthen its capacity to deliver at the country level.
Liberia raised a major concern regarding the implications of ongoing restructuring for the operational, technical, and analytical capacities of Resident Coordinator Offices.
Deputy Permanent Representative Baba Sillah on Wednesday delivered Liberia’s position at the Resident Coordinators Global Meeting 2026, on Resident Coordinator System Support in Africa—Exchange between African States and Resident Coordinators, held in New York.
He said persistent funding shortfalls, staffing gaps, and the potential loss or downgrading of critical professional positions, particularly economists, data analysts, and development policy specialists, risk undermining the system’s ability to provide effective support to national governments.
He emphasized that Africa’s development circumstances are diverse and cannot be adequately addressed through a uniform staffing model.
“The needs of least developed countries, countries emerging from conflict, and those facing significant climate and institutional challenges require differentiated technical support and sustained in-country engagement,” he noted.
Liberia’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations recommended three priorities in the ongoing reform process: ensuring predictable and sustainable financing; preserving essential technical and analytical capacity; and engaging in meaningful consultation with host governments in determining country-specific staffing and operational requirements.
The UN Resident Coordinator (RC) System is integral to the UN Secretariat, aimed at coordinating operational activities of the UN development system globally. Its purpose is to enhance the efficiency, coherence, and effectiveness of UN support in countries, especially in executing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, by uniting all UN entities operating within each country, irrespective of their formal presence.
