The 80th anniversary session of the UN General Assembly in New York is taking place amid growing calls for fundamental reform of the organization. Against the backdrop of global conflicts and challenges, leaders of countries such as Azerbaijan, Turkey, and the USA are increasingly stating that the security architecture created 80 years ago is outdated and does not meet modern realities.
The main target of criticism has been the UN Security Council and its structure, which is dominated by five permanent members with veto power. This position is most vividly expressed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s thesis: “The World Is More Than Five”, which has become the motto of supporters of change.
For Azerbaijan, the issue of the Security Council’s ineffectiveness is not theoretical but practical. Baku has pointed out for nearly 30 years the four UN resolutions demanding the withdrawal of Armenian troops from its territories, which were never implemented. As President Ilham Aliyev has repeatedly emphasized, Azerbaijan had to independently ensure the implementation of these resolutions, which proved the failure of international mechanisms. This experience, according to the Azerbaijani leader, clearly demonstrates the need for reforms and an end to selective approaches to implementing Security Council decisions.
US President Donald Trump also criticized the UN at the current session. He accused the organization of inaction and preferring “sharp letters” and “empty words” to real help in conflict resolution.
These essentially similar calls from different geopolitical players are forming a powerful demand for creating a more just world order. In it, as the Azerbaijani leader notes, there should be greater representation of Global South countries in key decision-making bodies, including the Security Council. It is obvious that the time for UN reset has come, and it can no longer be postponed.
