Key Points
- UN General Assembly approves merger of UNITAR and UNSSC.
- New UN Institute for Capability and Learning Innovation begins in January 2027.
- Transition will run through 2026 while existing programmes and services continue.
Main Story
The United Nations General Assembly has approved the merger of two UN learning and training institutions, paving the way for a new body to begin operations in January 2027.
The 193-member Assembly adopted a resolution on Thursday approving the integration of the UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) into the UN System Staff College (UNSSC), including Nigeria.
Under the resolution, the two institutions will be brought together to establish the UN Institute for Capability and Learning Innovation (UNICLI).
The move forms part of the wider UN80 Initiative, which seeks to make the UN system more coherent, effective and responsive to emerging global challenges.
UNICLI will combine UNITAR’s work supporting governments, diplomats and public institutions with UNSSC’s expertise in training, leadership development and knowledge-sharing for UN personnel.
Michelle Gyles-McDonnough, UN Assistant Secretary-General and Executive Director of UNITAR, said the new institution would help strengthen the capacity of the UN system and its Member States.
“Member States and the United Nations system are facing increasingly complex and interconnected challenges,” she said.
“The UN must continue to evolve, building stronger capabilities, fostering innovation, and enhancing institutional effectiveness to turn global commitments into tangible results.”
The Issues
The merger is intended to create a single platform for learning and capability development across the UN system and its Member States.
The United Nations said the arrangement would make it easier for Member States, UN entities and partners to access expertise and support, while reducing duplication and fragmentation between the existing institutions.
Miguel Panadero, Acting Director of UNSSC, said combining the institutions’ expertise would strengthen the UN’s capability-development function.
“By integrating UNSSC’s and UNITAR’s expertise in providing training for the UN system and Member States respectively, the new entity will be better positioned to provide a stronger, more coherent capability development function,” Panadero said.
What’s Being Said
“The Secretary-General welcomes the decision, which recognises that capability and development, continuous learning, and innovation are not ancillary functions, but strategic drivers of the UN’s effectiveness and reform, and impact for Member States,” Stéphane Dujarric, UN spokesman, said.
“The UN chief invites Member States, the UN entities, partners, and all stakeholders to join in shaping the new entity’s future and strengthening its contribution to a more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient world,” Dujarric added.
What’s Next
The transition to UNICLI will be carried out in phases through the end of 2026 to maintain continuity of programmes, partnerships and services.
Until the transition is completed, UNITAR and UNSSC will continue to operate under their existing arrangements.
UNICLI will be headquartered in Geneva, while Turin will remain a UN learning campus and centre for leadership development. Existing operations in Bonn, Hiroshima, Madrid and New York will also continue.
Bottom Line
The General Assembly’s decision consolidates the UN’s two learning and training institutions into a new organisation focused on capability development, continuous learning and innovation, with UNICLI scheduled to begin operations in January 2027.
