The topical challenge of multilateralism

"Multilateralism is not an option but a necessity," António Guterres, Nobel Peace Prize-winner and United Nations leader.

This quote succinctly captures the urgency of strengthening multilateral cooperation in today's world.

The month of February 2025 will enter into the history of the United Nations multilateral diplomacy as marking exceptional events generating unpredictable and may be dramatic consequences for the future.

On 18 February the Security Council, under the monthly presidency of Wang Yi, Minister for Foreign Affairs of China, had an official plenary meeting on the item "Practicing multilateralism, reforming and improving global governance", a subject proposed by China which generated an impressive interest at the level of the world organization as a whole.

The list of speakers is very long and the level is high in many cases, as the countries were represented by the heads of diplomacy.

The first speaker was the UN Secretary- General António Guterres who said at the beginning of his speech. :"Global solidarity and solutions are needed more than ever. The climate crisis is raging, inequalities are growing, and poverty is on the rise. As this Council knows well, peace is getting pushed further out of reach - from the Occupied Palestinian Territory to Ukraine to Sudan to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and beyond. Terrorism and violent extremism remain persistent scourges." He closed his statement by affirming :" Multilateral cooperation is the beating heart of the United Nations. Guided by the solutions provided in the Pact for the Future, multilateralism can become an even more powerful instrument of peace. But the strength of multilateralism depends directly on the level of commitment of each country. In view of the challenges of the world around us, I urge all Member States to continue to strengthen and update our global problem-solving mechanisms. Let us make them fit for purpose, fit for people and fit for peace."

Constructive criticism

The limited space of this chronique allows only selective references to the national statements' content,on the basis of verbatim records, giving priority to the declarations delivered by the representatives of the P5 and of Asian-Pacific countries.

China considered that a critical part of global governance is to ensure that justice prevails. Since the end of the Second World War, a large number of countries in the Global South have emerged on the world stage, which has revealed a growing incompatibility and irrationality in the global governance structure. "Under the new circumstances, international affairs should no longer be monopolized by a small number of countries. Countries in the Global South have the right to speak up for and defend their legitimate rights and interests. And the fruits of development should no longer be enjoyed by just a few countries. People of all countries have the right to a happy life. The reform of the Security Council should continue to emphasize democratic consultation, increase the representation and say of developing countries, especially African countries, and effectively address historical injustice."

In the opinion of France "At a time when global governance is being challenged by the proliferation of crises, we must not give in to the temptation of unilateralism. That would lead to a generalized confrontation of all against all to the detriment of everyone, even those who believe themselves to be the strongest. France reaffirms its support for multilateralism, respect for international law and the values of cooperation and solidarity."

The British representative reminded inter alia that "The United Kingdom remains deeply committed to the United Nations. But 80 years since its creation, with more countries engaged in conflict than ever before, we are falling short of its founding mission - to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war. And despite progress on health and education, significant global challenges remain: the climate crisis is accelerating, and the Sustainable Development Goals are off-track."

The US delegate informed that "The United States is currently conducting a review of its support for the United Nations. We will consider whether the actions of the Organization are serving American interests and whether it can be reformed" and concluded by declaring expressis verbis that "the United States supports the return of the United Nations to its founding mission of promoting peace and security around the world. As President Trump has stated, we will be taking a hard look over the next few months at the reforms that the United Nations needs to undertake to get us to that point."

Russia declared that "the United Nations has generally fulfilled its primary task of preventing another world war. However, the world has never been closer than it is now to that dangerous threshold. It is teetering on the brink of a direct military confrontation between nuclear Powers. The West, acting based on its "rules-based order", is circumventing the United Nations through agreements on decisions on matters of importance to most countries that it subsequently portrays as universal solutions, imposing them on others and thereby deliberately undermining the authority of the United Nations and the primacy of international law in international relations."

A critical statement was delivered by Pakistan according to which "The United Nations and its family of organizations provide the indispensable platforms for responding to the world's multidimensional challenges. So far, the United Nations has not been enabled to achieve its full potential. The structures of the United Nations should be strengthened, not dismantled. That can be achieved through mutual respect and comprehensive cooperation. To address the challenges of the twenty-first century, we must reaffirm our commitment to multilateralism, undertake comprehensive reforms of the global governance architecture and refine and reinforce multilateralism to deliver optimum outcomes. No country should presume to have greater stature than, or influence over, others. Respect for justice and equity is an essential precondition for peace and harmony among nations."

In the opinion of the Republic of Korea "the United Nations, particularly the Security Council, must become more creative and bolder. While it may be difficult to avoid an impasse on issues where permanent members have divergent views, there are other areas that the Security Council can explore to fulfil its mandate and reinforce its institutional standing. For example, emerging security challenges must be given due attention, followed by more active deliberations. The rapid evolution of digital technologies, including artificial intelligence, has amplified global security risks, particularly when exploited by irresponsible actors, such as North Korea. The proliferation of misinformation and disinformation has further opened new platforms for manipulation, complicating tensions in conflicts."

A strong critical statement was pronounced by Indonesia according to which "The need for reform has never been greater since the United Nations was established. Let us start with a frank assessment: the multilateral system today is in profound crisis. The absence of a major global war does not mean that peace prevails. In fact, the very system designed to prevent conflict is under siege, both externally and internally. Too often multilateralism is embraced only when convenient and discarded when not. Too often compliance with international law and international humanitarian law is seen as an individual choice, rather than a universal obligation. Sadly, some of the founding Members of the United Nations now seem to be less keen to uphold multilateralism. As the United Nations nears its eightieth year, we must ask ourselves if it will continue to stand as a pillar of hope or a shattered mirror of broken promises. We must ask the uncomfortable question - do we really seek the common good or flawed multilateralism as a tool for narrow interests?"

In Thailand's opinion, "closer coordination between the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations is key to making multilateralism more responsive and impactful. Regional and subregional organizations play a crucial role in translating global commitments into concrete actions, while also feeding local realities into policy-making processes at the global level. Thailand places high importance on enhancing a closer and more meaningful partnership between the United Nations and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, including through the implementation of the Pact for the Future…. we must ensure that different multilateral platforms are complementary and not mutually exclusive."

According to Singapore, "a stronger and more responsive Security Council must be able to anticipate, rather than react belatedly, after a crisis has erupted or escalated. Conflict prevention must play a far bigger role in the Council's toolkit. We call on the Council to work more closely and effectively with the other main organs of the United Nations, such as the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council and the Peacebuilding Commission, which could facilitate early warning and response."

India's delegate appreciated that "A theme that stands pronounced in today's open debate is the call for reformed multilateralism. While many speakers have already highlighted the dire need for reforms, I am confident that several others will also follow suit. That is a clear testimony to the need for reviewing and redesigning the 80-year-old architecture of this forum in order to make it fit for purpose. At a time when the world is increasingly expressing concerns about the ability of the United Nations to deliver effectively on pressing global issues, reforms are not a choice anymore but an imperative."

At its turn, the Philippines expressed the view that "Multilateralism flourishes on the foundation of a rules-based order that provides conditions for trust, solidarity, equity and peace. We must ensure the meaningful participation of all Member States, in particular developing States, in global decision-making. That is enabled by bridging development divides, including through a transformed international financial architecture and enhanced access to innovation and to science and technology."

During the same meeting of the Security Council Vietnam stated that "Strengthening the role of the Global South in multilateral decision-making will enhance accountability and drive better economic, social and security outcomes worldwide. Reform should start right here, in the Council. Vietnam remains a steadfast advocate of multilateralism and enhanced global cooperation. We have actively contributed to strengthening international institutions, particularly through the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the United Nations, and to promoting peace, security, sustainable development and human rights. Those efforts reflect our deep commitment to international solidarity and cooperation and are undertaken first and foremost for the benefit and well-being of our people."

Cambodia considered that "today multilateralism is being challenged in an unprecedented way. Instead of unity, we are seeing growing divisions. Instead of diplomacy, we are witnessing unilateralism. Instead of cooperation, mistrust is deepening. If we are to safeguard peace and stability for future generations, we must reaffirm our commitment to multilateralism, respect for the Charter of the United Nations and fair and inclusive global governance."

In the opinion of Malaysia, a country who has the presidency of ASEAN in 2025, "Reform of the Security Council is imperative. Malaysia is unequivocal in its conviction that the veto power must be abolished in the long run. Until that is achieved, the veto must be completely prohibited in cases of mass atrocity crimes such as genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes. In addition, we believe that to be effective, the veto should be exercised by at least two permanent members and supported by three non-permanent members of the Security Council. The decision should then be endorsed by the General Assembly through a simple majority vote."

From the Pacific area,the statement of New Zealand deserves to be mentioned as it was given on behalf of 61 cross-regional group of countries .One of its fundamental ides was : "We as a group remain committed to finding ways to contemporize our multilateral institutions, despite their imperfections, so that they are best positioned to respond to the collective challenges we face, particularly as they relate to international peace and security. We are pleased that the Pact for the Future (General Assembly resolution 79/1) contains many elements that, when implemented, will better enable the Council to deliver on its mandate, a mandate that requires the Council to act on behalf of all of us. We have all agreed on the urgency of further and meaningful Security Council reform."

Finally,Australia declared: "Engaging with the multilateral system is a key pillar of Australia's foreign policy. That is because we live in a complex interconnected world in which we need each other in order to address many of the major challenges we face. Today I have three key points. First, the Charter of the United Nations and the multilateral system that it established are the foundation of international peace and security. The Charter outlines core principles by which every Member State of the United Nations agrees to abide: the sovereign equality of all, the peaceful settlement of disputes, the equal rights and self-determination of peoples and the establishment of the conditions for the maintenance of international law. Australia strongly supports and promotes those principles. That is why, for example, we are working with various Member States to launch a new declaration for the protection of humanitarian personnel to uphold and champion international humanitarian law and drive action to protect humanitarian personnel in conflict zones….

Secondly, the multilateral system needs reform to better serve us all. We will continue to advocate for a system that is more representative, effective, accountable and transparent. That includes securing greater representation on the Council for Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean and the Asia-Pacific region and enhancing accountability and transparency around the use of the veto. The need for reform also extends to the international peacebuilding architecture, given the increasing number of protracted and complex conflicts. Through our term on the Peacebuilding Commission, we look forward to contributing to the peacebuilding architecture review to ensure that we work more effectively to prevent the outbreak, escalation, continuation and recurrence of conflict and to foster post-conflict recovery.

Thirdly, we recognize that human rights and gender equality underpin development, peace and security for everyone. Human rights violations often precede, and can be an early warning sign of, the outbreak of armed conflict. Oppression, inequalities and a lack of justice and accountability make violence more likely, and that is why we raise concerns about serious human rights violations."

Conclusion

In the field of doctrine, the practice of multilateralism has inspired numerous master and doctoral dissertations in many countries. The UN events in February 2025 will further encourage additional studies on this topical subject.

These events have significantly impacted the political, legal and diplomatic discourse on multilateralism, particularly highlighting tensions within the transatlantic alliance. Under President Donald Trump's administration, the United States has adopted a more conciliatory approach toward Russia, leading to notable policy shifts. For instance, the U.S. proposed a UN Security Council resolution calling for a swift end to the Ukraine conflict, which garnered support from Moscow and Beijing but saw traditional allies like France and the UK abstaining due to its omission of any condemnation of Russian aggression.

The shift in U.S. foreign policy, coupled with Europe's current efforts to assert its strategic autonomy, presents a rich area of study for scholars examining the future of multilateral cooperation and the stability of longstanding alliances.

In March 2025, we can limit ourselves to wishing to witness the tangibility of a real system of coordinating relations among multiple countries based on fundamental principles of cooperation, inclusivity, and adherence to common rules and institutions, aimed at addressing global challenges and achieving shared objectives.

Multilateralism is hopefully expected to be more visible in international organizations and agreements that promote diplomacy, stability, and collective action rather than unilateral or limited bilateral approaches.