Guterres Proposes 60 UNAMA Post Cuts, $3.2 Million Boost for Afghanistan Investigative Mechanism

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has proposed cutting 60 posts at the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) while allocating an additional $3.2 million to the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Afghanistan under the UN’s proposed 2027 programme budget.

The proposals were presented to the General Assembly’s Fifth Committee, which considers administrative and budgetary matters. The Fifth Committee reviews funding requests before they are sent to the full 193-member General Assembly for final approval. As part of the regular budget process, the measures are not yet final and remain subject to review, adjustment or approval by member states.

The proposed reduction at UNAMA is part of broader adjustments to the UN’s special political missions. According to the proposal, those adjustments are intended to improve efficiency and better align resources with the organization’s mandates. Specific posts affected by the cut were not detailed in the initial summary of the proposal, and it remains unclear how the reduction would affect UNAMA’s operations in Kabul and its field presence. If approved, the cut would mark a further contraction of the mission’s staffing at a time when Afghanistan continues to face severe humanitarian, human rights and governance challenges.

The additional $3.2 million for the investigative mechanism would support its work following its initial establishment phase in 2026. The funds are intended to help expand the mechanism’s activities, including hiring additional personnel and meeting operational requirements. The mechanism is mandated to collect, consolidate, preserve and analyse evidence of international crimes and serious violations of international law committed in Afghanistan, including crimes and abuses against women and girls. It is also tasked with preparing case files to support fair and independent criminal proceedings in courts with jurisdiction. Its explicit focus on crimes and abuses against women and girls underscores widespread concerns about gender-based violations in Afghanistan.

UNAMA, established in 2002, is a UN special political mission tasked with supporting the people of Afghanistan. Its mandate was extended by the Security Council in June 2026 for another year, until June 17, 2027. The mission has long played a central role in UN engagement with Afghanistan, including political good offices, humanitarian coordination and human rights work, though its operating environment has become increasingly restrictive.

The proposals come as the UN pursues broader budget and organizational reforms amid financial pressures and efforts to streamline its operations. The competing measures reflect the UN’s dual challenge: reducing costs across political and peace missions while sustaining accountability efforts for serious international crimes. The proposed UNAMA staffing cuts and the additional funding for the investigative mechanism remain part of the 2027 budget process and should not be treated as final decisions. The Fifth Committee is expected to review the proposals alongside other budget requests before the General Assembly adopts the final programme budget.

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