'UN An Old Company...Not Keeping Up With Market Trends': S Jaishankar Questions UN Role Amid Conflicts

S Jaishankar shared a critical stance over the United Nations (UN) for being a ‘bystander’ while two very serious conflicts are going on in the world.

Picture source: ANI

New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday shared a critical stance over the United Nations (UN), labelling it ‘an old company’, that is occupying space and not keeping up the market. The foreign minister was answering a question at the Kautilya Economic Conclave in Delhi when he blamed the UN for being a ‘bystander’ while two very serious conflicts are going on in the world.  

What S Jaishankar Said On UN 

In response to a question regarding the United Nations' role in the evolving global landscape, he expressed a critical perspective on the organization, which was established in 1945 following World War II. Originally comprising 50 member countries, its membership has since expanded to nearly four times that number. 

"The UN is in a way like an old company, not entirely keeping up with the market, but occupying the space. And, when it's behind times, in this world you have start-ups and innovations, so different people start doing their own things," PTI cited Jaishankar’s response. 

"So, what you have today is that yes you have a UN at the end, however suboptimal in functioning, it is still the only multilateral game in town," he added. 

The minister further condemned the United Nations for its lack of action on pressing global issues. "But, when it doesn't step up on key issues, countries figure out their own ways of doing it. For example, let's take the last five to ten years; probably the biggest thing that happened in our life was Covid. Now, what did the UN do on Covid? I think the answer is -- not very much," he said.  

No Clear Stance On Global Conflicts: Jaishankar 

He further highlighted the organization's passive role in current global conflicts, stating, "Now, you have two conflicts going on in the world today, two very serious conflicts; where is the UN on them? Essentially a bystander," he added. 

He pointed to several connectivity projects to illustrate his point, including the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) and the QUAD partnership in the Indo-Pacific, which aims to manage shared global resources. He also mentioned the International Solar Alliance (ISA) and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), noting that all of these initiatives were created outside the United Nations framework. 

"Today, the UN will continue, but increasingly there is a non-UN space which is the active space and I think it's telling on the UN," Jaishankar added. 

The Five Permanent Members Holding Back UN Reforms: EAM 

According to UN website, the United Nations is working to maintain international peace and security, give humanitarian assistance to those in need, protect human rights and uphold international law. However, India is seeking reforms in the world body and its UN Security Council to align with current global conditions. 

Earlier this year, Jaishankar argued that the "short-sighted" stance of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council is hindering progress on much-needed reforms of the global organization. The permanent members—Russia, the UK, China, France, and the US—hold the power to veto any significant resolution.

(With inputs from PTI)