BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 22. The world stands at a critical turning point, and the multilateral system must adapt to modern realities, Rebeca Grynspan, Secretary-General of United Nations Trade and Development (UNCTAD), said during an event dedicated to the presentation of the Declaration of the 14th Global Baku Forum and the 12th edition of the GPA Magazine, Trend reports.
According to her, conflicts across the globe are on the rise, trust is eroding, and the window of opportunity to rebuild faith in the multilateral system is rapidly narrowing.
"To achieve this, however, we must defend the principles of the UN Charter. We must also ensure that the UN changes and remains fit for the challenges of 2026, given that it was established back in 1945," Grynspan stated.
She pointed out that at the time of the UN's founding in 1945, its Charter was signed by 51 nations, whereas today the organization comprises 193 member states.
"This means that 142 countries were not present in 1945. Many of them were not even independent states at that time. Consequently, there is a clear demand for broader representation and for the voices of countries that had no seat at the table in 1945 to be heard," she said.
Grynspan also emphasized that institutional shifts are required because capabilities and resources in the modern world are no longer exclusively concentrated within the UN framework as they once were.
She underlined the vital role played by regional organizations and emerging actors, including entities like the Nizami Ganjavi International Center, which successfully foster dialogue and generate actionable solutions.
"The UN must learn not to concentrate everything internally, but rather to support those who are also offering solutions for world peace," she declared.
According to her, the UN needs to cultivate partnerships across diverse dimensions and levels, encompassing local, national, and regional actors.
Grynspan stressed that without robust multilateralism in a multipolar world, the risks of fragmentation, conflict, and diminished global prosperity will heavily intensify.
"Multipolarity without multilateralism will inevitably lead to fragmentation," she noted.
She concluded by stating that the contemporary world finds itself at a crossroads defined by both negative and positive trends, where the ultimate outcome hinges heavily on the choices and decisions made by the international community.
