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WorldQuiet 47h · day 3

Gowan argues next UN chief should prioritize core functions over lofty ambitions

As Guterres steps down, Foreign Affairs proposes a slimmed-down UN focused on crisis prevention and humanitarian aid.

newest coverage 1d agosummary written 1d ago5 pieces NewswiresMastodonRedditGoogle News

What to know

  • Guterres departs at year's end after a decade managing UN dysfunction amid great-power deadlock and budget crises, with three candidates vying to replace him.
  • Analyst argues the next Secretary-General should downsize the UN and focus narrowly on crisis prevention, conflict resolution, and humanitarian aid—abandoning post-Cold War ambitions for universal governance.
  • The UN faces paralysis from China, Russia, and U.S. vetoes on major conflicts (Iran, Ukraine, Myanmar, Sudan) and funding cuts imposed by the Trump administration.
some voices

The UN's founding purpose was to prevent major-power conflict, and downsizing contradicts that core mission.

  • “Literally that was one of the main reasons the UN was established after WWII. And is the reason there was no WWIII.”

    tunicamycinA · reddit ↗

“The next secretary-general's best hope may thus be to relinquish some of the organization's previous lofty ambitions and slim down, prioritizing international crisis prevention and conflict resolution, the efficient provision of humanitarian aid, and achievable international development goals.”

Richard Gowan, International Crisis Group Program Director · Foreign Affairs ↗

Richard Gowan International Crisis Group Program DirectorAntónio GuterresAntónio Guterres UN Secretary-GeneralRebeca GrynspanRebeca Grynspan Senior UN trade officialRafael GrossiRafael Grossi Director General, International Atomic Energy AgencyCarolyn Rodrigues-Birkett Guyana's Ambassador to the UN

How it unfolded 3 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articlespostscomments

Peak 1 piece in one hour at Sep 20, 11 PM; 5 pieces over 3 days (2 articles · 2 posts · 1 comment) Sep 20, 11 PM — 1 piece · 1 article — Newswires 1Sep 21, 12 AM — quietSep 21, 1 AM — quietSep 21, 2 AM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Sep 21, 3 AM — quietSep 21, 4 AM — quietSep 21, 5 AM — quietSep 21, 6 AM — quietSep 21, 7 AM — quietSep 21, 8 AM — quietSep 21, 9 AM — quietSep 21, 10 AM — quietSep 21, 11 AM — quietSep 21, 12 PM — quietSep 21, 1 PM — 1 piece · 1 post — Reddit 1Sep 21, 2 PM — quietSep 21, 3 PM — quietSep 21, 4 PM — quietSep 21, 5 PM — quietSep 21, 6 PM — quietSep 21, 7 PM — quietSep 21, 8 PM — 1 piece · 1 comment — Reddit 1Sep 21, 9 PM — quietSep 21, 10 PM — quietSep 21, 11 PM — quietSep 22, 12 AM — quietSep 22, 1 AM — quietSep 22, 2 AM — quietSep 22, 3 AM — quietSep 22, 4 AM — quietSep 22, 5 AM — quietSep 22, 6 AM — quietSep 22, 7 AM — quietSep 22, 8 AM — 1 piece · 1 article — Google News 1Sep 22, 9 AM — quietSep 22, 10 AM — quietSep 22, 11 AM — quietSep 22, 12 PM — quietSep 22, 1 PM — quietSep 22, 2 PM — quietSep 22, 3 PM — quietSep 22, 4 PM — quietSep 22, 5 PM — quietSep 22, 6 PM — quietSep 22, 7 PM — quietSep 22, 8 PM — quietSep 22, 9 PM — quietSep 22, 10 PM — quietSep 22, 11 PM — quietYesterday, 12 AM — quietYesterday, 1 AM — quietYesterday, 2 AM — quietYesterday, 3 AM — quietYesterday, 4 AM — quietYesterday, 5 AM — quietYesterday, 6 AM — quietYesterday, 7 AM — quietYesterday, 8 AM — quietYesterday, 9 AM — quietYesterday, 10 AM — quietYesterday, 11 AM — quietYesterday, 12 PM — quietYesterday, 1 PM — quietYesterday, 2 PM — quietYesterday, 3 PM — quietYesterday, 4 PM — quietYesterday, 5 PM — quietYesterday, 6 PM — quietYesterday, 7 PM — quietYesterday, 8 PM — quietYesterday, 9 PM — quietYesterday, 10 PM — quietYesterday, 11 PM — quietToday, 12 AM — quietToday, 1 AM — quietToday, 2 AM — quietToday, 3 AM — quietToday, 4 AM — quietToday, 5 AM — quietToday, 6 AM — quietToday, 7 AM — quiet 12–3
Sep 21Sep 22yesterdaynow · 8:50 AM ET
  1. 2

    Three candidates identified to succeed Guterres

    The succession pool comprises senior UN trade official Rebeca Grynspan, International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi, and Guyana's UN Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett.

  2. 3

    Guterres set to depart UN leadership

    Current Secretary-General António Guterres plans to step down at year's end after a decade of struggling to advance the organization's political agenda amid staff reductions and cost-cutting to prevent bankruptcy of the secretariat.

    • Literally that was one of the main reasons the UN was established after WWII. And is the reason there was no WWIII.

      tunicamycinAr/geopolitics2d agoview on r/geopolitics ↗
  3. 1

    Gowan proposes UN contraction focused on core functions

    Richard Gowan, Program Director at the International Crisis Group, publishes an analysis in Foreign Affairs arguing the next UN Secretary-General should prioritize crisis prevention, conflict resolution, and humanitarian aid while shedding time-consuming diplomatic processes and inefficient bureaucracies.

    “A UN that jettisons time-consuming diplomatic processes and inefficient bureaucracies for a few core functions may disappoint ardent advocates of global governance. But it also may be the only version of the organization still viable in an era of great-power competition and austerity.”
    — Richard Gowan
    1. 1 outlet Secretary-General of the United Nations

      first by Welcome to the United Nations, 1d ago

    • Gerd_Brodowski@mastodon.social

      # usa # israel # iran # warofaggression # warcrimes # internationallaw # icc # usforeignpolicy # sanctions # intentionstodestroy # dangerofescaltion # campaign 3/3 (Background music by the usual suspects) „The Next Secretary-General Must Get Back to Basics“ https://www. foreignaffairs.com/united-nati ons/shrink

      Gerd_Brodowski@mastodon.socialMastodon3d agoview on Mastodon ↗

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