Madam Chair,

1. I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the Group of 77 and China under agenda item 136, on progress on the functioning and development of the Umoja system.

2. The Group wishes to thank the Deputy Controller, Director of the Finance Division, Ms. Maria Costa, for the introduction of the Secretary-General's report, as well as the Chair of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions, Ms. Juliana Gaspar Ruas, for presenting the related report.

3. The Group reiterates its long-standing recognition of Umoja as a key element of administrative reform and modernization within the Organization, contributing to the streamlining of processes, enhanced transparency and data-driven management across functional areas, including human resources, finance, supply chain and strategic planning.

Madam Chair,

4. The Group takes note of the progress reported under the three pillars of Umoja, including system upgrades, the advancement of Umoja Analytics and continuous improvement initiatives. We recognize the modernization achieved through the SAP enhancement upgrade, strengthened disaster-recovery architecture and improvements in analytics platforms and enterprise dashboards.

5. At the same time, consistent with the guidance of the General Assembly and the positions previously expressed by the Group, we share the concern highlighted by the Advisory Committee regarding the absence of a comprehensive strategic outlook for Umoja in the current progress report. The Group reiterates that a clear long-term vision, including investments, governance arrangements and expected benefits, remains essential to ensure that Umoja continues to support administrative reform in a coherent and sustainable manner.

6. With respect to the NextGen ERP upgrade, the Group notes that this initiative represents a major phase in the evolution of Umoja. In line with the recommendations of the Advisory Committee, we look forward to receiving more detailed information on governance structures, costing models, timelines and system-wide interoperability considerations. The Group stresses that technological modernization must remain aligned with the priorities of Member States and contribute directly to improved efficiency and accountability in mandate delivery.

7. The Group also underlines the importance of safeguarding the integrity, security and institutional ownership of Umoja. As the Organization expands its reliance on enterprise digital platforms and analytics tools, cybersecurity, protection of organizational data and the preservation of intellectual property rights remain essential considerations.

8. On Umoja Analytics and Member State portals, the Group welcomes continued progress in improving transparency and access to information. At the same time, we emphasize the need for adequate training and outreach to ensure equitable access and effective utilization of these tools across the Secretariat and by stakeholders.

9. The Group notes with concern the observations of the Advisory Committee regarding the omission of previously requested information in the progress report, including updates on interoperability across enterprise resource planning systems, governance arrangements, recommendations of oversight bodies and lessons learned. We expect future reports to fully reflect the guidance provided by the General Assembly and oversight bodies.

10. Regarding the financing model and total cost of ownership, the Group reiterates its long-standing emphasis on cost discipline, transparency and measurable benefits realization. While noting that the projected total cost of ownership remains broadly stable, we underline the importance of ensuring that Umoja's resource requirements remain scalable and responsive to evolving organizational realities, including structural changes associated with the UN80 Initiative.

Madam Chair,

11. In conclusion, the Group of 77 and China reiterates that Umoja must continue to evolve as a strategic tool that strengthens administrative reform, enhances transparency and supports effective mandate implementation. The Group remains ready to engage constructively in the forthcoming discussions with a view to ensuring that Umoja delivers tangible value to the Organization, while remaining fully aligned with the guidance of the appropriate oversight bodies and the decisions of Member States.

I thank you.