The UN must take reform seriously : Shared by Niloufar Pourzand

“The UN must take the need for reform seriously”
Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein / The Elders — 14 October 2025
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Summary
In this commentary, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein — veteran UN diplomat and former High Commissioner for Human Rights — argues that the United Nations faces an existential crisis. He cautions that superficial fixes won’t prevent erosion of legitimacy and calls for bold updates to procedural rules, decision-making bodies, and leadership roles within the UN.

Zeid highlights three key fault lines: the rigid “nothing is agreed until everything is agreed” norm, consensus-based veto power, and the overly constrained role of the Secretary-General. He warns that without structural changes to make the UN more agile and accountable, the multilateral system risks collapse in a world hungry for collective solutions.

Quotes

“We must take it seriously… The world cannot afford another round of superficial, half-hearted reforms that would only embolden those who reject multilateralism and international norms.”

“The rules of negotiation … are in desperate need of updating … the idea that ‘nothing is agreed until everything is agreed’ makes it almost impossible to secure incremental progress.”

“The position [of Secretary-General] is too constrained by political caution … Reinstating this role to its full potential is essential if the UN is to regain credibility and resilience.”