The UN at a crossroads

The world has come to New York. The Big Apple is a melting pot of diverse cultures, but one building stands apart from others in symbolising this very diversity. The UN Headquarters building is where the world gathers every year to discuss global issues and hammer out solutions.

This year is no different. The world has even more issues to talk about, from the crisis to Darfur to Middle East peace. Some issues have grown in complexity over the years, frustrating attempts to resolve them. Wars and conflicts still afflict the world. The UN has succeeded in settling some conflicts, failed miserably in others.

Some are openly questioning the role of the UN in a unipolar world. But the UN's significance and role in world affairs must not be underestimated. It has to charter a new course in the murky seas of world affairs. With a new Secretary General at the helm, there is a clear opportunity to steer the UN in a direction that will once again stamp its authority on the world stage.

In fact, there is a raging debate within the UN on reforming the UN so that it could become a more dynamic body. It is no easy task to streamline the work of a 192-Member behemoth with a multitude of agencies scattered all over the world. The paperwork alone is staggering.

Even amid this apparent chaos, some UN agencies such as the WHO, UNESCO and UNICEF have made substantial progress in their respective spheres, earning the respect of individual countries and peoples. Some others can be seen as white elephants, with little or no bearing on the lives of people all over the world.

As for the Annual Debate of the General Assembly, it is the only place on Earth that friends and foes alike can be seen together. It is a platform to air their views and grievances. It is a forum to discuss burning issues in the world, to make the world aware of what is going on various far corners of the planet.

The world has changed. And the UN should change to meet these challenges, from terrorism to poverty. One of the most significant recent initiatives of the UN is the Millennium Development Goals, which seek to make the world a better place to live in by 2015. Given that only eight more years are available, some of the goals may seem daunting and indeed, they are. Many goals will not be reached, according to UN experts. But the important fact is that a start has been made.

With conflicts around the world raging unabated and terrorists more active than ever, the Security Council is facing a severe test of its capability to weather the storms. There are many who argue that the system of having Five Permanent Members should be done away with and the 15 -member body should reflect current realities in the global geopolitical landscape.

Reforms are sorely needed at the UN Security Council in their view. Perhaps the most urgent issue now before the UN is climate change. Yesterday's landmark summit on climate change shows that the UN is prepared to act.

And act it must to save the word from the perils of global warming. However, the attitude of some developed countries is rather baffling. They must show the way to the rest of the world in this sphere. The UN must raise its profile in the world. With a new Secretary General and a renewed commitment to lead the world, this would not be an impossible task for the Nations which are United for the common good of humanity.