As the high-level week of the United Nations General Assembly approaches in New York, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres delivered a sobering message: “International challenges are moving faster than our ability to solve them.”
This year’s session arrives at a moment of unprecedented instability, amid a confluence of crises and uncertainty that many analysts warn could be a “perfect storm” threatening the international system.
The global landscape is marked by escalating conflicts, spanning from Europe to the Middle East and Africa, a retreat of liberal democracy globally, and intensifying rivalries between major powers that have effectively paralyzed the UN Security Council.
Yet, for some, these challenges present opportunities. Russia and China, in particular, seem increasingly bold in their efforts to challenge the rules-based international order.
Regional powers are also vying for influence. Turkey, under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has repeatedly called for a permanent seat on the Security Council, positioning itself as the representative of Muslim-majority nations.
U.S. Pushes for UN Reform
The U.S., meanwhile, continues to champion the defense of the rules-based international order. Yet Washington is acutely aware of the shifting global dynamics and is pushing for reform within the UN.
A key element of this effort will unfold at the Future Summit on September 22-23, which Guterres has described as a historic opportunity to build a stronger, more effective multilateral system.
At the heart of the reform agenda is the restructuring of the Security Council, where five permanent members—the U.S., France, Russia, China, and Britain—currently hold veto power.
The U.S. has endorsed expanding the Council to include additional permanent members, proposing two seats for African countries and one for small island nations, particularly those threatened by climate change. It also supports India, Japan, and Germany’s bids for permanent membership.
However, the U.S. remains firm in its opposition to extending veto power to these new members. “If we extend the right of veto to everyone, it will make the Council more dysfunctional,” warned U.S. Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield, urging nations to reduce their use of the veto.
While the U.S. is leading the call for reform, uncertainty looms over the future direction of American foreign policy, particularly with the November presidential elections on the horizon. This unpredictability, already evident at the NATO summit earlier this year, is likely to cast a shadow over discussions at the General Assembly.
Greece’s Role on the Global Stage
For Greece, this year’s General Assembly serves as a dress rehearsal as it prepares to take a seat as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council.
“Greece has positioned itself at the center of several multilateral efforts, from the 3+1 partnership to the Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum, and now the India-Middle East Economic Corridor and the Three Seas Initiative, Athens has found a way to be consistently at the table on recent global issues,” said Endy Zemenides, executive director of the Hellenic American Leadership Council (HALC).
Adding Security Council membership to this portfolio, along with Greece’s longstanding roles in NATO and the European Union, Zemenides noted, “will give Greece more global diplomatic clout than it has ever had.”
