Former UN chief Ban warns Security Council risks becoming irrelevant without reform

That call came during an open debate on “Leadership for Peace,” where former Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and academic Anjali Dayal pressed members to confront both the external crises facing the UN and the internal constraints that have weakened its ability to act.

Ban, now an emeritus member of The Elders group, warned that global conditions have worsened since he left office in late 2016, marked by deepening confrontation between major powers, the erosion of multilateralism and conflicts in which civilians continue to pay the highest price.

“This deeply disappointing situation is characterized by confrontation rather than cooperation between major powers,” he told the Council, citing the war in Ukraine, massive civilian casualties in Gaza and weakening international cooperation even as the global climate crisis accelerates.

Staggering towards irrelevance

The former UN chief said the overall crisis cannot be separated from the Security Council’s own failures.

“The continued failure of the Security Council to function properly constitutes the most egregious cause,” he said, highlighting the permanent members’ repeated use of the veto “to protect themselves, their allies and their representatives from liability.”

Without meaningful reform, Ban warned, civilians will remain unprotected and impunity will persist. “Without it, the UN risks falling towards collapse or irrelevance,” he said.

Reduce political pressures

Regarding the selection of the next Secretary-General, Ban called for a single, non-renewable seven-year term to strengthen the independence of the position.

The current practice of two five-year terms, he said, leaves the Secretaries-General “too dependent on the permanent members of this Council for an extension,” even though the agreement is a convention rather than a requirement of the UN Charter.

“The General Assembly has the power to set the terms of appointment,” Ban said, urging member states to use that authority to more fully empower the next UN leader.

The selection process

Secretary-General António Guterres’ second term expires at the end of next year and the formal selection process is already underway.

In November, the Presidents of the General Assembly and the Security Council jointly launched the process, in accordance with General Assembly resolution 79/327, which emphasizes transparency and inclusiveness.

According to the established procedure, candidates are nominated by Member States or groups and must submit a vision statement, a curriculum vitae and statements on campaign financing. The President of the General Assembly convenes publicly broadcast interactive dialogues with all candidates, while working closely with Member States throughout the process.

As of mid-December, only Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the United Nations nuclear watchdog, has been nominated by Argentina.

You can find the list of candidates on the UN website here.

Unprecedented strain

Anjali Dayal, associate professor of international politics at Fordham University, told the Council that the next Secretary-General will take office at a time of unprecedented stress, including a deepening funding crisis that is already reducing the United Nations’ ability to deliver essential services.

“That will result not only in a reduction of this Organization, but also in less work that only the UN can do at scale,” he said, pointing to fewer vaccines, a reduction in humanitarian aid and a decrease in demining efforts, even as global needs grow.

Ms. Dayal said history shows that even in periods of intense division, the Council has been able to elect leaders who fostered peace and cooperation.

He recalled the prolonged stalemate that preceded the selection of Javier Pérez de Cuéllar in 1981 and the criticism of U Thant, but they skillfully maneuvered to end the Iran-Iraq war, resolved conflicts in Cambodia and Nicaragua and helped end the Cuban missile crisis.

Jaw-jaw better than war-war

Such examples, he said, underscore that the Secretary-General’s influence lies less in material power than in the ability to shape ideas, narratives and long-term cooperation – “to make conference rooms always more attractive than the battlefield.”

For Mr. Ban, that responsibility ultimately lies with the Council itself. Reforming the use of the veto and renewing support for UN leadership, he said, are essential for the Organization to remain relevant in the 21st century.

“The path of each for himself is no different from the path of mutual destruction,” he warned.