World leaders demand UN overhaul as multilateralism faces trust crisis
At the UN General Assembly, dozens of heads of state called for reforms to the Security Council and greater equality for small and vulnerable nations.
During the week-long UN General Assembly, leaders from across the globe expressed alarm that the United Nations is losing relevance and failing to deliver solutions. Over 150 speeches emphasized the need to modernize the Security Council, with island nations threatened by rising seas and African states demanding two permanent seats and veto rights. Speakers also pointed to a tension between multilateral cooperation and national sovereignty, noting that trust among nations is eroding.
Issues such as climate change, artificial intelligence and pandemic preparedness were cited as problems no single country can solve alone. Calls for “restoring trust” were paired with criticism of the veto power held by the five permanent members, which many described as a relic of a post-World War II order. The consensus was that the UN must evolve to give smaller nations a genuine voice and to act decisively on global threats.
