Funded traineeships for young graduates at the EU Delegation to the United Nations

Traineeships of six (6) months within the following sections of the EU Delegation to the United Nations, starting in December 2025:

Section 1 - Coordination, Press and Information:
which ensures policy coordination across thematic sections (including contacts with the UN Secretariat, EU Headquarters, briefings and reports, etc.), organises the EU Ambassadors meetings and diplomatic outreach with the wider UN membership, coordinates EU positions and negotiates processes at the General Assembly plenary (including on the "Pact for the Future" and the UN80 Reform initiative, as well as the Revitalization of the GA), and conducts all press, information and public diplomacy activities of the EU at the UN.

Section 2 – International Partnerships and Sustainable Development:
This section works on the achievement of Agenda 2030 and its Sustainable Development Goals. It covers issues structured in four clusters: (i) social, (ii) economic, (iii) green and blue and (iv) digital and infrastructure. These issues – and their geopolitical context - are discussed within the UN General Assembly and specifically its 2nd Committee and the UN Economic and Social Council and its High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (which will be reviewed in 2026). Specific interest/qualification in one or more of the four clusters will be greatly appreciated.

Section 3 - Human Rights and Social Affairs:
The team is responsible for issues relating to human rights and social affairs, through the work of the 3rd Committee, the Commission on the Status of Women, the Commission on Social Development and other UN processes and events. This includes discussions and negotiations on a wide range of issues relating to civil, political, economic, social and cultural gender rights, including gender equality and advancement of women, protection of children, indigenous issues, racism and racial discrimination, persons with disabilities, death penalty, torture, crime prevention, criminal justice, international drug control as well as some country situations.

Section 4 - UN Horizontal Issues, UN budgets, Management and Reform:
In the context of the UN80 initiative and the Organization's financial crisis, the Fifth Committee is a key decision-making body of the General Assembly where resources meet mandates—the engine room that keeps the entire UN operational. The Fifth Committee (5C) handles administrative and budgetary matters, effectively determining how the Organization translates its mandates into tangible outcomes. Without adequate resource allocation, even the most aspirational UN initiatives may face implementation challenges.

The EU Member States are collectively the largest financial contributor to the UN and play a key role in ensuring that all mandates receive the necessary funds to be fully implemented, especially in this financially significant period. This provides an opportunity to observe how the EU coordinates positions among the 27 Member States and speaks with one voice in negotiations that affect global challenges. In addition, it offers a unique vantage point to observe and contribute to intergovernmental negotiations and engage with UN officials across all departments.

Topics this year will probably include: the UN regular budget negotiations, funding for special political missions and peacekeeping operations, UN80 revised estimates, negotiations on the Financial Situation of the UN, topics of oversight bodies, as well as human resources management.

Section 5 - Humanitarian Affairs:

The Humanitarian Section:

Represents the EU in international dialogues on humanitarian issues, including on the normative frameworks for humanitarian action (UNGA and ECOSOC);
Attends operational and donor briefings and reports on their contents, and expresses on these occasions EU priorities, concerns and views on the operational activities and policies of the humanitarian organisations;
Engages in humanitarian advocacy and diplomacy vis-a-vis UN bodies and UN Member States;
Maintains contacts with representatives of the EU’s key humanitarian partners at the UN Secretariat (OCHA), international organisations (ICRC, IFRC) and other relevant actors in New York;
Follows discussions on thematic issues and relevant country situations in the different UN bodies, including at the Security Council.

Main tasks for all sections:

Supporting the work of the section, in particular by working on the coordination of the EU Member States’ positions for the negotiation of resolutions and the finalisation of EU statements;
Supporting the team in drafting reports, organizing meetings, preparing the local outreach in support of the EU positions;
Attending meetings organized at the United Nations, the EU Delegation, EU Member States, NGOs, etc.
Attending external events
Any other task, which may be beneficiary to the trainee with the aim to better understand the dynamics of the EU Delegation in the UN policy context, to raise awareness of the main policy and legal challenges in the UN context and to gain first-hand insight into decision making and negotiations processes.