‘1945 World Order No Longer Reflects Reality’: Guterres Calls for UN Reform

Shibbir Ahmed | United Nations, New York — United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called for sweeping reforms to global institutions, arguing that the international system must adapt to a rapidly changing, increasingly multipolar world.

Addressing the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Bishkek on Tuesday, Guterres said global power relations were changing while many multilateral institutions continued to reflect the geopolitical realities of 1945.

“We must reform our multilateral institutions, including the United Nations and the Bretton Woods system, to reflect today’s realities,” Guterres said, calling for greater representation and influence for developing countries in order to build a fairer global order.

Guterres said the world was becoming increasingly multipolar and argued that the trend should be strengthened.

“Multipolarity is a condition for justice in global governance and international relations,” he said, describing it as a foundation for effective multilateralism and a United Nations that serves all countries without double standards.

The UN chief has repeatedly called for reforms to the Security Council and other international institutions to make them more representative of the current distribution of global power.

His remarks in Bishkek also highlighted four areas for stronger international cooperation: global security, development financing, climate action and governance of artificial intelligence.

Guterres’ call comes amid growing geopolitical tensions, conflicts and disputes over the effectiveness of existing international institutions. His message was clear: as global power shifts, the institutions governing international affairs must change with it.