Permanent Mission of India
New York
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Annual Session of the UNICEF Executive Board

on Item 3: Annual Report for 2025 of UNICEF Executive Director

Statement by Ambassador Harish Parvathaneni, Permanent Representative of India
16 June 2026

Mr. President,

            India thanks the Executive Director for the presentation of the Annual Report for 2025 and appreciates UNICEF’s continued efforts in advancing the rights and well-being of children under challenging global circumstances. We note the significant achievements recorded under the Strategic Plan 2022–2025, particularly in immunization, nutrition, education, child protection, social protection and climate resilience, despite the adverse impact of conflicts, climate-related disasters and declining development assistance.

Mr. President,

2. India attaches importance to the ongoing discussions under UN80 and we note that under the UN80 Initiative, UNICEF is working with other UN entities on the New Humanitarian Compact to deliver faster, more efficiently and coherently the humanitarian assistance. We would like to offer the following points on issues emanating from UN80 discussions:

(a) Any proposals relating to regional reset, reconfiguration of UN Country Teams or recalibration of the Resident Coordinator system must fully respect the principle of national ownership.

(b) Country Programme Documents, developed in consultation with national authorities and approved by Executive Boards, remain the primary instruments for identifying and implementing programme priorities. Reform efforts should not dilute, bypass, or undermine their role.

(c) Decisions regarding the presence, configuration or restructuring of UN Country Teams should be guided by  specific needs, priorities and development objectives of host countries and should strengthen support for national development strategies.

(d) Financing arrangements for the Resident Coordinator  system should not be altered in ways that adversely affect the resources, operational capabilities or mandates of Agencies, Funds and Programmes (AFPs). Any proposal involving pool funding from agencies core resources should be approached with caution.

(e) Reforms must not diminish the prerogative of national governments to determine and pursue their own development pathways and priorities.

(f) Finally, the mandates, authority, and operational independence of Agencies, Funds and Programmes must remain fully protected. System-wide coherence should not come at the expense of agency-specific mandates or Executive Board oversight.

Thank you, Mr. President.

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