The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has announced plans to relocate a substantial number of positions from its headquarters in New York as part of a broader effort to adapt to changing global development and financial realities.
In a statement released on January 19, 2026, the agency said nearly 400 posts will be transferred out of New York, with around three-quarters moving to Bonn, Germany, and the remaining quarter to Madrid, Spain. Despite the shift, New York will continue to serve as UNDP’s global headquarters.
The move is aimed at strengthening partnerships, improving operational efficiency, and positioning the organization closer to key development actors and the communities it serves. UNDP said the decision reflects its commitment to maximizing impact at a time of growing humanitarian and development needs worldwide.
Bonn’s role within the UNDP system will expand significantly, with the city’s total UNDP presence now expected to exceed 400 positions. Bonn is already a major UN hub and hosts the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme, which is part of the UNDP family.
UNDP expressed appreciation to the governments of Germany and Spain for hosting the relocated staff, noting that the agreements will deepen cooperation as the agency advances its core mandate of eradicating poverty, reducing inequality, protecting the environment, and supporting countries affected by crises.
Globally, UNDP operates in about 170 countries and territories and employs roughly 22,000 staff. More than 19,000 work in country offices and regional hubs, while fewer than seven percent are currently based in New York. The latest restructuring will further reduce the proportion of personnel stationed at headquarters.
Earlier this year, the organization also moved 30 positions from New York to regional offices in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, the Arab States, Central Europe, and Asia-Pacific. According to UNDP, this step was intended to bring expertise closer to the field and enhance responsiveness to local development challenges.
The relocation underscores a growing trend within the UN system to decentralize operations, streamline costs, and align human resources more closely with on-the-ground priorities in an increasingly complex global development landscape.
