The General Assembly is the most important deliberative, policymaking, and representative organ of the United Nations. Photo: IC PHOTO

The United Nations was officially founded on Oct. 24, 1945. Over the course of eight decades, it has weathered storms and achieved remarkable milestones. Today’s UN has witnessed both the glories of peace and the pressing need for self-renewal. Confronted with challenges such as heightened geopolitical tensions, climate change, and a widening digital divide, the organization faces issues of fragmented governance, inefficiency, and underrepresentation. On this occasion, CSST spoke with Jelica Gordanic, a senior research fellow at the Institute of International Politics and Economics in Serbia, about the UN’s contributions, the global governance system and its reform, and the future of multilateralism.

A landmark event in human history

The UN has made commendable contributions to world peace and development. “The organization of the UN had completely changed the world. Theoretically, it is the closest to the idea of the international association of the states. It should be the place of alliance of big and small countries, a global place that offers the possibility of cooperation and hope for some better world,” Gordanic said. After the horrors of the Second World War, the UN established the foundation for human progress and development. The UN Charter remains one of the most significant legal documents in existence.

In Gordanic’s view, maintaining international peace and security, developing international law, advancing human rights, promoting decolonization, conducting peacekeeping missions, and fostering sustainable development rank among the UN’s greatest achievements. Specialized agencies like UNICEF, WFP, UNHCR, and WHO have saved millions of lives. The Universal Declaration on Human Rights and its two accompanying pacts established the basis for global progress in human rights. The very concept of human rights continues to evolve, with growing discussion of “third” and even “fourth” generations of rights. The UN also remains dedicated to the development and eradication of extreme poverty, particularly through the Millennium Goals and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Struggling to adapt to new realities

In recent years, global governance has faced unprecedented challenges—from regional conflicts and public health crises to widening development gaps. “The global governance system has been struggling for decades to adapt to the realities of the new circumstances. We need to keep in mind that the UN was established 80 years ago. There were about 70 sovereign states in 1945. Now, that number is about 195. The structure of the UN was designed to be functional as a system of 50, 60 states. The founders of the UN could not imagine the world seven or eight decades after. The initial signs of the weakening of the UN happened in the 70s after the freshly independent African and Asian countries became members. The focus of the organization shifted from the maintenance of international peace and security to economic and development issues. This caused a dissatisfaction of Western countries,” Gordanic remarked.

Although the General Assembly serves as the world’s most important policymaking, deliberative, and representative body, and may discuss any matter within the scope of the UN Charter, its resolutions are frequently repetitive, not legally binding, and often dismissed as symbolic—earning it a reputation as a largely ceremonial forum rather than a decisive institution, Gordanic continued.

“We live in the world of geopolitical tensions, climate crises, environmental crises, technological development, artificial intelligence, and digital gaps. Simply said, the system established by the 1945 circumstances has no capacity to struggle with artificial intelligence or the consequences of climate change. The UN system needs revitalization. It needs to be adapted to the realities of the 21st century. It needs to improve some past mistakes and to focus on contemporary issues such as sustainable development, youth and future generations, and the challenges of digital progress,” Gordanic noted.

Some observers argue that the UN is facing a “crisis of trust.” This raises the question: How can the UN regain its authority and more effectively fulfill its core mandate of maintaining international peace and security? The fact is, according to Gordanic, that the UN system is not as efficient as it was in previous decades. Perhaps its greatest setback has been the loss of reputation, as some states have grown skeptical of the UN’s effectiveness. Looking back, the organization has faced numerous scandals that have undermined trust in its operations. Today’s geopolitical landscape is highly complex—major powers hold fundamentally different views on how to resolve current conflicts, resulting in a lack of unity among them. To remain a relevant actor in international relations, the UN must undertake serious reforms and decisive actions.

A significant step forward came with the Pact for the Future, adopted at the 2024 UN Summit of the Future, Gordanic explained. The pact seeks to make global governance more effective, inclusive, and capable of tackling 21st-century challenges—ranging from sustainable development and peace to technology, artificial intelligence, youth, and global governance reform. “The Pact for the Future is full of big ideas for the future, but we need fulfillment of those ideas—if not all, then most of them. The UN is at the crossroads. Member states need to show support for reviving the UN and the fulfillment of the goals set by the Pact for the Future. If not, the Pact for the Future is going to be just one more document in the archives of the UN, a relic of the past.”

When it comes to the mandate of maintaining international peace and security, Gordanic believes the most efficient cure is also the most drastic—the reform and the expansion of the Security Council. This would also entail clarifying its relationship with the General Assembly and restricting the use of the veto. Limiting veto power to specific circumstances while strengthening the General Assembly’s role, she argued, could enhance both efficiency and legitimacy.

China as a role model of cooperation

“China is one of the pillars of the UN system,” Gordanic emphasized. “It is oriented towards the future, emphasizing goals, progress, development, and cooperation. The Belt and Road Initiative symbolizes China’s growth and its commitment to building bridges between peoples and nations.”

Between 2021 and 2023, China successively launched three global initiatives: the Global Development Initiative (GDI), the Global Security Initiative (GSI), and the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI). The GDI is dedicated to achieving common sustainable development and building a global development community by strongly supporting the concept of sustainability, Agenda 2030, and the SDGs. The GSI aims to eliminate the root causes of international conflicts and improve global security governance, while the GCI promotes respect for cultural diversity among civilizations and the global values of peace, cooperation, and understanding among people. The newly proposed Global Governance Initiative aims to improve international institutions by strengthening action-taking, effective execution, adaptability, and responsiveness, working toward a fairer, more equitable global governance system. “The goals of these initiatives are closely aligned with the goals and principles of the UN,” Gordanic said.

In the third decade of the 21st century, the world is increasingly characterized by conflict and distrust, as major powers often turn to confrontation rather than cooperation, development, or partnership. This trajectory bodes ill for the planet, undermining international peace, security, and progress toward the SDGs. Against this backdrop, Gordanic argued that China’s emphasis on development, connectivity, and sustainability offers an alternative path focused on collaboration and long-term wellbeing. “That is the only positive direction for the future generations. China is a great role model when it comes to cooperation, innovation, and sustainable development,” Gordanic affirmed.

UN still indispensable

For all its deficiencies, Gordanic believes the UN remains indispensable. This prompts an important question: What would an ideal and effective global governance system look like? “Despite all these problems, the UN has existed for 80 years. In this place, we need to ask ourselves a question: What has failed—the United Nations or the idea that led to the foundation of the UN? In the core of the UN is the idea of unity, cooperation, resolving global problems together, mutual respect, and equality.” Despite its limitations, she added, many nations still view the UN as the only global mechanism capable of providing protection, assistance, and understanding. For small island states threatened by climate change, for instance, the UN remains indispensable—their voices would otherwise be unheard.

“The world needs the UN because the UN is the only global mechanism capable of dealing with world problems in any way,” Gordanic explained. “Its existence is a guarantee of something great in international politics—greater than the states themselves. Its existence is a guarantee of peace in the international community. The UN is the conscience of the international community, a symbol of certain boundaries that states are not allowed to cross.”

“The UN will remain in existence, but they need a new face for new times,” Gordanic continued. “Members have to show all possible support for the UN revitalization process. The UN needs to focus on the areas in which its activities can be beneficial. It needs to be more efficient in the area of sustainable development or to focus on the issues of digitalization or digital cooperation.”

To rebuild trust, the UN must confront its challenges head-on, emphasizing prevention and the crucial role of preventive diplomacy. “The era of the UN is not over yet. Even sleepy and tired, this organization still has value,” Gordanic concluded.