New York, 26 June 2025 – The United Nations was established 80 years ago when countries that participated in the months-long San Francisco Conference adopted a charter while World War II was ending. The aging organization now needs significant reform to remain relevant.
The Charter of the United Nations, adopted by the original 50 countries that attended the conference led mostly by the World War II victors, says its primary determination is to “save succeeding generations from the scourge of war.” But hundreds of conflicts big and small have happened since the end of World War II in 1945. The world organization currently faces crises, wars, funding cuts, inequalities and mistrust, and division among member states.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres acknowledged that the organization with 193 nations is facing times of difficulties and asked in his project UN80 Initiative launched in May: “How can we be the most effective Organization that we can be? How can we be more nimble, coordinated and fit to face the challenges of today, the next decade, and indeed the next 80 years? The UN80 Initiative is anchored in answering these questions and equipping our organization in an era of extraordinary uncertainty.”
Guterres said the UN80 Initiative is structured around three key workstreams: “First, we are striving to rapidly identify efficiencies and improvements under current arrangements. Second, we are reviewing the implementation of all mandates given to us by Member States. And third, we are undertaking consideration of the need for structural changes and program realignment across the UN system.”
Guy Ryder, the Under-Secretary-General for Policy and chair of the UN80 Task Force, said in an interview published by UN News: “This is a good time to take a look at ourselves and see how fit for purpose we are in a set of circumstances which, let’s be honest, are quite challenging for multilateralism and for the UN.”
UN News said the UN80 Initiative “seeks not only to improve efficiency, but also to reassert the value of multilateralism at a time when trust is low and needs are high. It aims to reinforce the UN’s capacity to respond to today’s global challenges – ranging from conflict, displacement, and inequality to climate shocks and rapid technological change – while also responding to external pressures such as shrinking budgets and growing political divisions in the multilateral space.”
“We will come out of this with a stronger, fit-for-purpose UN, ready for the challenges the future will undoubtedly bring us,” said Ryder.
“Yes, we do face financial challenges. No need to avert our eyes from that. But this is not a cost-cutting, downsizing exercise. We want to make the UN stronger,” he said.
UN News said the UN80 Initiative aims to modernize and streamline the UN system’s structure, priorities and operations to try to meet the challenges of our times. The initiative wields the potential to reinforce the Pact for the Future by focusing on the UN’s core strengths, fostering systemwide efficiencies, relocating staff to where needs are greatest and encouraging a new Grand Bargain to reinforce the multilateral system — reflecting renewed concerns about another Cold War or even a third world war, as well as environmental destruction, population growth and migration.
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