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India’s Jaishankar hits out at the UN, calling its decision-making ‘gridlocked’ and polarised. With global conflicts rising and SDGs slowing, can the world body reinvent itself? A stark warning and a call for urgent reform on its 80th anniversary.
Jaishankar called for urgent reforms in UN.
New Delhi: On the occasion of the United Nations’ 80th anniversary, External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar, delivered a candid assessment of the world body, highlighting its structural and functional challenges.
While acknowledging the UN’s critical role in global governance, he pointed out growing inefficiencies in its decision-making and called for urgent reforms.
Jaishankar observed that the UN’s decision-making processes no longer reflect its diverse membership or address global priorities. “Its debates have become increasingly polarised, and its working visibly gridlocked. Any meaningful reform is obstructed using the reform process itself,” he said.
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Highlighting financial constraints as a rising concern, he stressed that sustaining the UN while reinventing it remains a major challenge for the international community.
He warned that the UN’s current state could hinder its ability to effectively tackle pressing global issues. “We must also recognise that all is not well with the United Nations. Its decision-making neither reflects its membership nor addresses global priorities,” he said.
Turning attention to socio-economic concerns, Jaishankar expressed worry over the slowdown of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Agenda 2030, pointing out that the Global South is disproportionately affected. Trade measures, supply chain dependencies, and political domination were cited as additional challenges confronting the world body.
“If the maintenance of international peace and security has become mere lip service, the challenges of development and socio-economic progress are even more troubling,” he remarked.
Jaishankar highlighted the ongoing global conflicts that continue to claim countless lives and destabilise communities. He noted that developing nations, particularly in the Global South, have borne the brunt of these crises, while more developed countries have largely shielded themselves from their effects.
“On UN Day, I would like to reiterate India’s commitment to the ideals of peace, security, development, and progress,” Jaishankar said, emphasizing the moral responsibility of nations to uphold international cooperation even during crises.
Citing India’s longstanding contributions to UN peacekeeping missions, Jaishankar reaffirmed the country’s commitment to international security. “We recognise this as a fundamental duty of a responsible member of the international community. The efforts, resources, and sacrifices of our personnel have certainly made the world a better place,” he said.
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He also referred to the recently concluded Chiefs of Army Staff Conclave in New Delhi, which saw participation from 30 troop-contributing countries, reinforcing India’s active role in global military cooperation.
Despite his critique, Jaishankar expressed optimism about the UN’s future. He urged the international community to renew its faith in multilateralism and international cooperation. “However flawed, the United Nations must be supported in these times of crisis. Our commitment to multilateralism must remain strong,” he said, urging nations to work together to build a better, more equitable world.
