The current state of the UN and the reform of this Organization proposed by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan

Dear friends, colleagues, ladies and gentlemen,

Today we are witnessing an important stage in the history of the United Nations - a stage of significant transformation driven by major external challenges: the financial crisis, changes in the geopolitical environment, and a new quality of global threats.

The scale of the crisis is indeed substantial: a projected reduction of up to 30 per cent in resources across the UN system compared with recent years, the need to review numerous programmes and funds, and staff optimization -including approximately 20 per cent reductions in the Secretariat.

Fifty-seven Member States owe USD 1.87 billion out of USD 3.5 billion in assessed contributions. The largest States that remain in arrears are the United States, China, Russia, Venezuela, Mexico, and Argentina. This situation reflects the urgency and necessity of upholding the principle that all countries must work collectively, promptly, and responsibly to ensure that the UN has the resources required to implement its programmes, such as the World Food Programme and peacekeeping missions worldwide.

In an era of geopolitical instability, when States pursue political objectives without regard for their mutual responsibilities, there is a real risk of undermining the UN’s major and long-standing achievements. These budgetary constraints, combined with the expanding scope of the UN’s tasks and responsibilities, create a dilemma that must be addressed. The UN must meet the challenges of the 21^st century while relying on a funding model designed in the 20th century.

In these circumstances, Kazakhstan, as a longstanding and reliable partner of the Organization, reaffirms its steadfast commitment to its fundamental principles.

As UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized at the launch of the UN80 initiative, “the system must remain effective, cost-efficient and responsive to the people it serves.”

These measures are difficult and painful. They raise concerns among many staff members, among the States that support UN programmes, and among those who rely on assistance in humanitarian, environmental, social, and other areas.

Nevertheless, I am convinced that the current reform is not simply forced austerity but an opportunity for profound reflection and renewal of working methods.

The United Nations is not merely a collection of agencies, programmes, and funds. It is a unique international mechanism that encompasses:

• a platform for high-level negotiations and collective decision-making;
• a centre for identifying global challenges and developing joint responses;
• a mechanism for dispute resolution and maintaining international security;
• a driver of sustainable development and humanitarian assistance, especially for developing countries;
• a voice of human solidarity and universal values.

These functions are fundamentally interlinked; together they form the strength and uniqueness of the UN. Excessive duplication of functions, bureaucracy, and fragmentation of resources undermine effectiveness. Therefore, restructuring, consolidation of functions, simplification of the system, and eliminating overlapping mandates are not “cuts for the sake of cuts,” but rather a chance to make the system more compact, flexible, and reliable -and better able to respond to 21^stcentury challenges. This is the aim of the UN80 initiative.

Kazakhstan believes that the UN remains fundamentally important and irreplaceable as a platform for international cooperation. In a world where challenges such as climate change, migration, pandemics, and economic instability are increasingly global, no State can overcome them alone. Only multilateral dialogue, collective action, and universal norms can provide sustainable solutions.

In light of these difficult circumstances, the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, His Excellency Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, used the opportunity to call for comprehensive reform of the Organization during the General Debate of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly. The National Endowment for Prosperity intends to examine the reforms proposed by the President in a consistent manner.

First, the proposal to reform the Security Council is timely and necessary to ensure the representation of major powers in Asia, Africa, and Latin America on a rotational basis, without permanent membership. The main problem with the current structure of the Security Council is that the veto power often paralyzes or negates positive global initiatives, creating a mechanism that no State is able to use without risk of systematic misuse.

Second, the UN Charter must be reviewed, as some of its provisions reflect the geopolitics of the 20th century and have become outdated. A serious reform of the Charter is long overdue -one that reflects current global realities and establishes collective obligations based on trust, inclusivity, and shared responsibility. The situation is further aggravated by a global arms race and the increasing costs of violence, which harm all States and undermine the architecture of global security.

Third, foreign direct investment worldwide fell to USD 1.5 trillion in 2024. Kazakhstan strongly calls for expanding international investment cooperation with our country, whose strategic location in the heart of Eurasia allows us to serve as a key bridge between Asia and Europe in major transport and trade corridors such as the Belt and Road Initiative, the North–South corridor, and the Trans-Caspian transit route.

Overall, the President’s statement addresses all the key challenges facing the modern world: armed conflicts, trade and economic issues, environmental pressures, the role and development of modern technologies such as artificial intelligence, the digitalization of public services, energy security, and effective governance.

We are at a crossroads -both for the United Nations and for Kazakhstan. We must use the current crisis to carry out reforms aimed at building a stronger and more resilient international community, as well as a prosperous and just Kazakhstan.

Reform is not an end in itself; it is an opportunity to strengthen trust in the UN and make its work more practical and attuned to the needs of people.

We support efforts to revitalize the Organization, adapt it to new realities, and improve programme effectiveness, accelerate decision-making, and reduce bureaucratic obstacles. Moreover, we believe that rethinking project work offers an opportunity for Member States, for new strategies, and for more targeted and sustainable assistance.

In this regard, I would like to emphasize the important role of non-governmental organizations. Civil society, expert forums, and specialized foundations possess knowledge that allows for a deeper and more accurate assessment of needs on the ground, the identification of gaps in project implementation, and the development of practical solutions.

The National Endowment for Prosperity expresses its readiness to contribute to expert assessments of the reform process, analytical support for the transformation efforts, and the development of an updated framework for the UN’s engagement with the non-governmental sector. We are convinced that empowering civil society and ensuring its full participation in the architecture of a renewed UN will be an essential factor in strengthening trust, openness, and the effectiveness of the entire system.