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STATEMENT BY

MR. SOFIAN AKMAL ABD. KARIM

DEPUTY PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE

PERMANENT MISSION OF MALAYSIA TO THE UNITED NATIONS

 

AT THE

HYBRID WORKSHOP OF THE INFORMAL AD-HOC WORKING GROUP ON MANDATE IMPLEMENTATION REVIEW (IAHWG)

 

 

Co-Chairs,

 

1. Thank you, Co-Chairs, for your continued stewardship of this process and for the opportunity to share Malaysia’s views.

 

2. Malaysia is broadly supportive of the principles outlined in the zero-draft. At the same time, we believe that the language could be further strengthened and clarified to enhance clarity, operational relevance and balance of this section of the zero-draft.

 

3. On the chapeau paragraph, Malaysia proposes to add a language to reaffirm the central role of Member States in the creation, implementation and review of mandates. Any effort to strengthen mandate effectiveness must be firmly anchored in the intergovernmental nature of the Organisation.

 

4. Malaysia underscores that mandate reform must be driven by outcomes. In this regard, Malaysia believes there is merit to highlight, in the chapeau, that the application of these principles be clearly anchored in outcomes that strengthen the Organization. It should be emphasised that mandate reform is not an end in itself, but a means to improve delivery, oversight and trust in the United Nations system.

 

5. On subparagraph (b), Malaysia agrees that the purpose of mandates is to maximise impact for the people we serve. At the same time, we stress that such impact must be achieved in accordance with priorities set by Member States, ensuring that people-centred outcomes remain anchored in intergovernmentally agreed mandates.

 

6. On subparagraph (c), Malaysia views that it should also highlight the importance of a balanced, integrated and mutually reinforcing approach across the three pillars of the United Nations. Peace and security, sustainable development and human rights are interlinked, and progress in one pillar must reinforce progress in the others. Any improvements to mandate creation, implementation and review should therefore preserve this balance and avoid unintended distortions.

 

7. On subparagraph (e), Malaysia reiterates that principles guiding the mandate lifecycle should be applied with flexibility and political judgment, taking into account the diverse contexts in which mandates operate. Such principles should enhance, rather than constrain, the ability of Member States to exercise their responsibilities through established intergovernmental processes.

 

8. On subparagraph (i), Malaysia proposes adding a language to reaffirm the General Assembly’s authority over budgetary matters. While effective implementation requires adequate resources, this must remain subject to Member State consideration and approval, in line with established financial governance processes.

 

9. On subparagraph (j), Malaysia proposes strengthening this paragraph by emphasising that mandate reviews should be transparent and Member State-driven. This ensures that mandate reviews remain political and inclusive processes, rather than purely administrative exercises while reinforcing Member State ownership.

 

10. Finally, on subparagraph (k), Malaysia proposes that this paragraph be further clarified to underscore that the Secretariat’s support should be timely and within existing mandates and resources, unless otherwise decided. This is important to avoid unintended mandate expansion and ensure that Member States receive relevant and impartial assistance.

 

Co-Chairs,

 

11. The stakes are high. We are seeing the UN increasingly undermined and bypassed. Malaysia therefore has a strong interest in the success of this process. We offer our views and contributions in a constructive spirit, with the aim of strengthening the UN and ensuring that it remains relevant, effective, and responsive to the needs of Member States.

 

Thank you.