The veteran Ugandan diplomat says the UN must reform or risk irrelevance, while making a late bid in a contest still expected to favor Latin America As the world navigates a period of “profound upheaval and radical change,” Ugandan politician and diplomat Olara Otunnu called for a return to the basic principles of the UN…
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is using its Security Council presidency to spotlight the link between minerals and conflict, while its own resource wealth continues to expose the limits of international law and accountability. For the first time in more than 30 years, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) will assume the rotating…
1 for 8 Billion says the race for the UN’s top job remains vulnerable to opaque political bargaining. A new report published by the advocacy group 1 for 8 Billion sheds light on how some past candidates for UN Secretary-General have likely engaged in backroom deals with powerful member states to secure the global body’s…
At United Nations Headquarters this week, the UNITAR–FICFF 2026 Women’s Forum brought together an unlikely mix of voices from global media executives to livestream commerce pioneers to explore how women are reshaping the global economy in real time. Held alongside the 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70), the forum —…
The United Nations has appointed Joseph Gordon-Levitt as its first Global Advocate for Human-Centric Digital Governance, signaling a shift toward making digital policy more accessible, inclusive, and grounded in everyday experience. Designated through the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) and supported by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, the role aims to bridge the gap between complex global tech debates…
Can the United Nations reinvent itself at 80? Inside U.N. chief António Guterres’ bold gamble to streamline mandates, tame finances, and keep diplomacy alive. Reform has already begun to feel passé as the months of this year have rolled by. Projecting into the future makes policy and peace processes harder to chart, especially in an…
The 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly opened with all the pomp and pageantry the annual diplomatic jamboree demands. But beneath the flags, motorcades, and speeches, the week revealed a world at odds with itself — divided by war, shaken by climate breakdown, and uncertain whether the UN, now an octogenarian, still has…
The foreign ministers of Brazil, Germany, India, and Japan – the so-called G4 nations – renewed their demand for urgent reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), calling for an expansion in both permanent and non-permanent membership to reflect “contemporary geopolitical realities.” Meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly’s 80th session, Foreign…
The United Nations Security Council will hold a high-level open debate on Wednesday on artificial intelligence (AI) under the “Maintenance of international peace and security” agenda, chaired by Republic of Korea President Lee Jae Myung. Briefings will come from UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Yoshua Bengio and Yejin Choi (Stanford University). The debate will explore AI’s…
The United Nations turned 80 this week, but the milestone felt less like a celebration than a stress test. From the green-marble podium of the General Assembly, leaders laid bare their visions for the future. Secretary-General António Guterres pleaded for unity in the face of multiplying crises. General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock pressed for renewed…
The United Nations opens its 80th General Assembly this week, a milestone session meant to celebrate eight decades of diplomacy and collective action. Yet the mood in New York is anything but celebratory. The war in Gaza, grinding on into its second year, has left more than 65,000 Palestinians dead and pushed the enclave to…
The United Nations opens its 80th General Assembly session Tuesday, Sept. 23, with world leaders gathering in New York amid global crises. The annual debate, the diplomatic centerpiece of the UN calendar, runs through Sept. 29 under the theme: “Better together: 80 years and more for peace, development and human rights.” Leaders from 193 member…
Regular budget reduced to $11.6 billion; peacekeeping support trimmed 15% but aid for refugees and technical cooperation preserved. Secretariat trims regular and peacekeeping accounts while maintaining support for UNHCR, UNRWA, and development in fragile states. The United Nations Secretariat has released revised estimates for its 2026 program budget and the 2025/26 Support Account for peacekeeping,…
As the United Nations opens its 80th General Assembly this week, Secretary-General António Guterres stood before journalists in New York and delivered a blunt assessment: The world is drifting toward “an endless nightmare” of conflict, inequality, and institutional paralysis. His words were not just a curtain-raiser for a week of diplomacy, but a stark reminder of what…
The world stands at a crossroads. A new report, Gender Snapshot 2025, released by UN Women and the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), offers a stark but hopeful picture: with the right investments, gender equality is not only within reach but could transform global societies and economies. The report highlights striking…
In a significant move underscoring the growing concern among international diplomats and humanitarian workers, UN Staff for Gaza has announced the appointment of former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as its Honorary Chair. The announcement marks a critical moment for the organization, which has mobilized United Nations staff in response to what it calls “brazen…
