The United Nations General Assembly, meant to foster global cooperation, exposed its dysfunction in New York last week.
World leaders delivered speeches that revealed a body adrift—ineffective, divided, and morally inconsistent. The 80th session, themed “Better Together: 80 Years and More for Peace, Development, and Human Rights,” instead showcased walkouts, sympathy for questionable figures, and a failure to address mounting crises.
The permanent members are paralysed by vetoes, unable to act on wars in Ukraine, Gaza, or Sudan, something Winston Peters from New Zealand pointed out.
Trump’s speech cut through the noise. He called the UN ineffective, saying, “All they seem to do is write a really strongly worded letter and then never follow that letter up.” He criticised globalism, climate policies, and open borders, while urging Europe to take a stronger role in Ukraine. His bluntness resonated: the UN is failing its mission.
The low point came during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address. Hundreds of delegates walked out, protesting Israel’s Gaza campaign, which has killed over 65,000, according to local reports, and drawn accusations of breaching international law. Netanyahu defended Israel, denying genocide and urging Hamas to surrender. The walkout wasn’t diplomacy—it was a rejection of dialogue, undermining the UN’s own principles.
Meanwhile, Syria’s interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former al-Qaeda leader, received warm applause. Once on UN terror sanctions lists, he pitched Syrian renewal and sought sanctions relief, while sidestepping his past and ongoing sectarian tensions. The UN’s embrace of such figures, while condemning Israel, exposes a double standard. Resolutions supporting Palestinian statehood—seen by some as rewarding Hamas—further erode credibility.
Multilateralism is crumbling. Conflicts have risen from 39 in 2013 to 55 today, aid budgets are shrinking, and global trade systems falter. The world continues to break down with not much solutions.
Only New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Winston Peters seem to offer clarity with an independent voice. He called for bold reforms to restore the UN’s relevance, stressing leadership over posturing and supporting a two-state solution without hasty recognition. His was a rare voice of reason in a chamber of noise.
The UN’s 80th year is a stark reminder of its failures: selective outrage, inaction, and a drift from its founding ideals. Without reform, it will become more irrelevant in a world that desperately needs leadership.