The United Nations (UN) has marked the 80th anniversary of its first General Assembly meeting, prompting renewed debate over whether the organisation can still deliver on its founding vision.
Delegates from 51 countries gathered in London to remember the historic meeting that took place in the aftermath of the Second World War, when the foundations of a new international order were laid.
Eight decades on, that order is under severe strain. Conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan and other parts of the world have exposed deep divisions within the UN, particularly in the Security Council, where veto powers held by its five permanent members have frequently stalled decisive action.
The effectiveness of the organisation has also been weakened by non-binding resolutions and growing funding shortages affecting several UN agencies.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who is due in London next week to mark the anniversary, has acknowledged that global institutions are struggling to respond to today’s crises. He has argued that the Security Council must be reformed to reflect the realities of the modern world, rather than those of 80 years ago.
–ChannelAfrica–
