FICSA Statement at the eighty-fourth session of the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Board
The 84th Session of the UN Joint Staff Pension Board took place from 27 to 31 July 2026 in Vienna, Austria. During this session, Imed Zabaar, the President of the Federation of International Civil Servants' Associations (FICSA), engaged directly with the Participants Group and presented the below official address to the Board:
Madame Chair,
Members of the 84th Pension Board,
on behalf of the Federation of International Civil Servants' Associations (FICSA), I thank you for granting me this opportunity to address you all.
We deeply appreciate the invitation to attend your deliberations this week as an observer, to review the Board’s documents, and to participate in the discussions of both the Participants Group and FAFICS
Madame Chair,
Many FICSA members are presently participants in the Fund and may one day become beneficiaries. We deeply appreciate the exemplary governance demonstrated by this and preceding Boards, which remains vital to securing their pensions.
We are, however, navigating challenging times. FICSA recognizes that the current operating environment across many United Nations organizations is shaped by financial constraints and complex, multi-dimensional geopolitical challenges. In this regard, post abolishments and the early retirement programs linked to the UN80 Initiative have driven a reduction in active participants for 2026 compared to 2024, as outlined in the presentation by the Chief Executive of Pension Administration.
Nevertheless, FICSA notes with satisfaction that despite this increased case volume, the Fund Administration successfully processed 97% of those cases within 15 business days.
We appreciate that despite these demographic and operational challenges, the staff of the Pension Administration under the leadership of the Chief Executive of Pension Administration have maintained their responsiveness to client needs and their proactive approach to innovation, delivering trusted, timely, and responsive services that put participants and beneficiaries at the center.
FICSA also notes with appreciation the presentation by the Representative of the Secretary-General (RSG) for the investment of the assets of the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund. In particular, we wish to thank him for his timely responses to queries received from our members and for taking the time to listen to their concerns while in Geneva this month.
Furthermore, we are pleased to note that the market value of the portfolio continues to meet or exceed the real return target over the 15-year rolling horizon, reflecting continued strong performance and resilience in changing markets.
With respect to the request of the General Assembly under resolution 80/243, FICSA appreciates the progress report of the working group and strongly supports the allocation of additional resources required to deliver on its mandate.
FICSA has also been closely following the work of the Governance Working Group and appreciates the wide range of governance-related matters addressed so far.
In this regard, FICSA wishes to underline the profound importance of reviewing the size and composition of the Board. This is a critical issue for our members, particularly those from the specialized agencies who feel inadequately represented due to the current rotation cycle and the restriction preventing members without voting seats from attending the Board’s in person session. FICSA looks forward to further updates on this matter in future Board sessions.
In conclusion, I am grateful to you, Madame Chair, and to the members of the Board, for granting me the opportunity to address you today on behalf of FICSA.
Thank you!
