The Guardian view on the future of the UN: more embattled, but more necessary, than ever
As the secretary general, António Guterres, prepares to step down, the general assembly is highlighting the scale of the organisation’s challenges
TL;DR
- Donald Trump's address to the UN general assembly included threats to Iran and remarks on Venezuela, undermining the UN's founding principles.
- The absence of leaders like Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, Narendra Modi, and several African leaders highlights the UN's challenges and Trump's impact.
- Secretary General António Guterres has struggled with an authoritarian resurgence, rising conflict, and a deadlocked security council.
- Guterres has been a strong advocate for issues like AI threats, climate action, and humanitarian suffering, despite limited powers and missing US funding.
- The UN remains an essential forum for smaller countries and for addressing global issues, and the need for security council reform is increasingly apparent.
- A world without the UN would be worse, making its defense more important despite its current troubles.