Madam President, 

I thank Executive Director Sima Bahous for her briefing. UN reform and efficiency gains are the prevailing trend. UN Women's engagement with the UN80 reform process is not only about institutional efficiency, but also about the healthy and steady development of women's cause worldwide. China would like to make 3 points.

First, the well-being of women should be the starting point. Core mandates must be preserved throughout the reform process. Reform should aim at strengthening gender equality, and promoting all-round development of women. Reform should enable UN Women to better implement the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, continue to play a leading and coordinating role in gender equality and women's empowerment, and promote global cooperation on women.

Second, priority should be given to building synergies. UN Women and UNFPA have distinct yet complementary mandates. They may leverage respective strengths, share technical expertise, and exchange ideas. They can also explore ways to synergize their strategic plans, resources, data, and projects on the ground. More efficient governance platform and operational hub can be established to achieve mutual reinforcement and create a 1+1>2 synergy.

Third, development should be the primary focus. Reform should effectively strengthen the pillar of development and reinforce the role of relevant entities as development institutions. It is essential to ensure the stability and predictability of core resources during the reform process to ensure uninterrupted on-the-ground delivery and that resource allocation align with member states' priority development needs, thereby better serving all member states.

China supports UN Women and UNFPA in looking into alternatives to merger and looks forward to an evidence-based comparative analysis of merger and non-merger options, with the results released as promised to inform member states' decision-making. We stand ready to work with all parties to participate constructively in the reform process and advance the reform in a way that meets the needs of the times and aligns with the expectations of all.

Thank you.