Permanent Mission of India
New York
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UN80- Workstream 2: Meeting of the Ad hoc Working Group to hear general statements on the zero draft on mandates

Statement by Ambassador Yojna Patel, Charge d'Affaires
19 January 2026

Thank you Co-chairs,

            My delegation extends its sincere appreciation to you for presenting the zero draft and sharing the roadmap of the production phase. We recognize that it as an essential step under the UN80 Initiative to ensure that the UN remains relevant for the present and future challenges. However, India considers that a ‘business as usual’ approach, cannot be the way forward on the UN80 Initiative.

2. India aligns with the statement delivered by Uruguay, on behalf of the G77, and would like to share additional points in our national capacity:

i) We consider that the zero draft offers a good basis to start negotiations on all the elements of mandate lifecycle and mandate landscape, including all new and existing mandates across the three pillars of the UN.

ii) We also note the commitment to drafting concise resolutions with well-defined scopes, objectives and timelines. This approach will not only minimize unnecessary activities, such as excessive meetings or reports, but also promote fiscal responsibility by linking relevance of mandates to adequate resourcing and re-prioritization of duplicative efforts. It will foster a culture of mandate effectiveness and efficiency in implementation.

iii)       The draft's mandate implementation assessment underscores a commitment to outcomes and impact over mere activities. We believe it will also strengthen the accountability framework on resource allocation.

iv) Central to the zero draft's strength is its innovative approach to mandate review, including collective review mechanism of similar or related mandates. We encourage development of clear, objective criteria for decisions on renewal, adaptation, merger, or retirement of existing and new mandates. These criteria will ensure impartiality and effectiveness. We particularly support incorporation of sunset mechanisms for all new and existing mandates, to facilitate automatic expiration, unless justified by evidence of ongoing impact and result. This promotes a dynamic mandate landscape, preventing perpetuation of ineffective, obsolete or duplicative mandates.

In conclusion, my delegation reaffirms its commitment to engage constructively to further strengthen the zero draft.

I thank you.