2024 was another challenging year for us all.
Faced with an increasingly complex geopolitical landscape, including rising conflicts, accelerating climate crises, deepening inequalities and emerging technological risks, global cooperation has been tested like never before.
While the mission and values of the United Nations remain more relevant than ever, the rampant spread of misinformation and hate speech has distorted narratives and further cast doubt on global cooperation, putting the international multilateral system at considerable risk. In addition, the severe financial situation of the Organization has placed added pressure on our operations, testing our resilience and resourcefulness.
Despite these challenges, at UN Geneva we have continued to give life to the mission and purpose of the United Nations, delivering on our essential mandates and supporting international cooperation. This year, we facilitated intergovernmental processes in Geneva and beyond, supported UN-led peace processes and made progress on the Sustainable Development Goals. We reached key milestones in the Strategic Heritage Plan and continued our efforts to improve safety, accessibility and diversity at the Palais des Nations. Together with the United Nations family in Geneva, we joined Member States, civil society, academia, the private sector and other partners in their efforts to address global challenges.
These activities, and more, were undertaken with the overarching goal of restoring trust among people and nations, and in the United Nations. By bringing together multilateral stakeholders and encouraging them to engage, while also driving solutions to shared challenges and countering false narratives with trusted information, UN Geneva once again demonstrated its commitment to serving as a pillar of inclusive multilateralism. Our dedication, our workplace, our resources, our expertise and – above all – our staff were instrumental in this endeavour.
As we reflect on the challenges and achievements of 2024, we remain committed to our mission and values. We are more determined than ever to restore trust in multilateralism and accelerate our work towards a more peaceful, just and sustainable world.
Tatiana Valovaya
Under-Secretary-General
Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva
Secretary-General of the Conference on Disarmament
People and operations management
As at 31 December 2024, there were
1,467 staff
at UN Geneva,
representing
119
nationalities and a wide range of professional backgrounds
Health and well-being
The UN Geneva Medical Service provided medical-related administrative services for more than
18,000 staff
at UN Geneva, from
35 UN entities
in the field and at main duty stations, including the processing of
8,845
medical clearances and
3,588
travel clearances
Environmental awareness
1,715 tons
of CO2 equivalent were emitted by UN Geneva. Most of the emissions were from the consumption of energy for heating and cooling purposes. Through a carbon-offset programme, UN Geneva is climate neutral
Peace talks
UN Geneva supported talks to advance peace processes in the context of the Geneva International Discussions and in the Sudan
Conference management
8,505 meetings
were facilitated, of which:
7,719
were in person
10
were virtual
776
were hybrid
1,882
were held outside of Geneva
Security and safety
648,041
persons and
235,812
vehicles were screened at the Palais des Nations by the Security and Safety Service
Strategic Heritage Plan
a
SwF 37.2 million
on renovation work on the historic buildings of the Palais des Nations
Director-General
Held
66 bilateral
meetings with representatives of Member States from all
5
geographical regions
Learning
and development
3,502
participants in
312
language training courses
Communications
and outreach
2,370,000 followers
across UN Geneva’s 5 main social media platforms as at 31 December
Library and Archives
9,422
interactions with clients to support their information needs on-site or online
Beyond Lab
630
young people from
50
countries submitted essays in response to the Beyond Lab’s global call for youth insights on rethinking economic progress beyond gross domestic product
Conference on Disarmament
In 2024, a total of
320
delegates –120 men and 200 women –
participated in the Conference on Disarmament.
Of the
82 heads of delegations,
59 were men and 23 were women
