Reform UN80: Renewal or Decline?

On Monday, 25 August 2025, the Inclusive Society Institute (ISI) hosted a high-level webinar entitled “Reform UN80: Renewal or Decline? The Future of Multilateralism at the United Nations’ 80th Anniversary.” The event formed part of ISI’s ongoing consultations to shape its position on global governance reform.

The webinar brought together a distinguished panel of former senior United Nations officials and experts, who reflected on the UN Secretary-General’s Reform UN80 initiative, launched to ensure the organisation remains fit for purpose in a rapidly changing global order.

Key themes

Discussions were structured around four pressing questions:

• The true aim of Reform UN80 and whether it represents genuine political renewal or merely administrative streamlining.

• The UN’s deepening budget crisis, including the political nature of arrears and the impact on peacekeeping and humanitarian operations.

• The rise of unilateralism and its implications for multilateral cooperation.

• The consequences of US-China rivalry for the UN system and the opportunities and risks this creates for the Global South, particularly Africa.

Speakers emphasised that while efficiency measures, such as mandate reviews and budget rationalisation are important, they cannot substitute for political renewal and trust in the UN’s Charter principles. They argued that Africa, and South Africa in particular, have a pivotal role to play in shaping reform outcomes and ensuring that the voices of the Global South are heard.

Conclusion

The consultation concluded that the UN stands at a crossroads: it can either enter a cycle of decline marked by financial fragility and great-power rivalry, or seize this reform moment to rebuild legitimacy, strengthen multilateralism and amplify the Global South’s agency.