By Desmond Nleya
NEW YORK – United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has set the stage for next week’s high-level General Assembly by warning that world leaders must use the gathering for “problem-solving, not point-scoring,” as conflicts rage and the climate crisis deepens.
Speaking at UN headquarters ahead of the annual meeting, Guterres described the organization’s 80th anniversary as a “sobering milestone,” with nearly 150 heads of state expected to attend. He painted a picture of an international community adrift in “turbulent, even uncharted waters,” citing widening geopolitical divides, growing impunity for war, and an overheating planet.
“People are demanding answers and action,” Guterres said, urging urgent progress on peace in Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, and a pathway to a two-state solution in the Middle East.
Reforming an 80-Year-Old Institution
Founded in 1945 with 51 members, the UN has grown to 193 states and a mission far beyond its original remit of peace and security. To mark the anniversary, Guterres unveiled the UN80 Initiative, a sweeping reform drive led by Deputy Secretary-General Guy Ryder.
“This is an opportune moment to reflect on our effectiveness,” Ryder said, noting that multilateralism faces “unprecedented strain.”
Three Tracks for Change
The reform will advance on three parallel fronts:
Efficiency: Cutting bureaucracy and relocating some UN functions to lower-cost duty stations.
Mandates: Reviewing and streamlining decades of overlapping resolutions and mandates to sharpen priorities.
Structure: Considering fundamental restructuring of the UN system to make it more agile and impactful.
Guterres stressed that the reforms are vital to ensuring the UN remains relevant in a rapidly shifting global landscape.
“With crises multiplying and faith in multilateralism eroding,” he said, “this Assembly is an opportunity the world cannot afford to miss.”
