Time to accept ‘hard truths’ so trust can be rebuilt: General Assembly president

The UN’s survival for 80 years is not, by itself, proof of success, and now, the institution must confront painful truths if it hopes to rebuild public trust, said Khalilur Rahman, president of the General Assembly’s 81st session on Tuesday.Key points:The UN has grown from 50 Member States in 1945 to 193 today, but survival alone is not evidence of successGlobal military spending has climbed toward $3 trillion while development assistance fell 23 per cent year-on-year even as progress has stalled for a third of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targetsAfrica remains without a permanent Security Council seat after eight decades, which must change as a matter of “fairness, justice” and credibility“Outside these walls, people are not asking whether the United Nations still exists. They are asking whether it works,” said Khalilur Rahman.Acknowledging the UN’s failures – including the unresolved Palestinian question and ongoing wars in Sudan, Gaza, Ukraine, Myanmar and across the Middle East – Mr. Rahman balanced this with lesser-known successes.He cited the return of nearly five million people to their homes in Iraq, ongoing delivery of aid in Haiti despite security challenge...