As major powers act unilaterally, experts say UN faces crisis in New York

As world leaders gather in New York for the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), experts say the institution is battling an existential crisis of funding, relevance and Security Council gridlock.Major conflicts appear intractable, and powers like the United States and Russia can bend the UN’s Security Council to their will; member states are looking for new mechanisms to bring accountability to the venue and for a new secretary-general to voice their concerns. The body has been accused of failing to stop what its own experts have said is a genocide in Gaza.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Geopolitical divides fueling Security Council inaction, UN chief warnslist 2 of 3State of world getting worse as UN Security Council paralysed: Guterreslist 3 of 3UN launches hunt for next chief amid rising challengesend of listWorld leaders are not under any illusion that the UNGA is in good health, said Daniel Forti, head of UN Affairs at the International Crisis Group. Yet many still understand the venue’s power.“The vast majority of leaders, from small states, from middle powers, and even a few from major powers, recognise the importance of a UN that is a global conversati...