Kazakh President Tokayev Warns of UN Crisis and Declining Global Role

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan has delivered a stark assessment of the United Nations, warning of a crisis in its reform process and a diminishing practical role in resolving global conflicts. Speaking at the Antalya Diplomatic Forum, he argued that the organization's credibility is eroding as critical negotiations increasingly bypass its platforms.

"Everyone talks about the need to support the UN. That is a fact. But everyone also says that the Organization needs not only support but reform. Yes, that is true," Tokayev stated. "But let us be completely honest. No one believes this will happen very soon, as we have long been talking about reforms, changes, and restructuring of the UN, but this does not happen."

The Kazakh leader, a former UN official himself, expressed deep concern over the sidelining of the world body. He observed that major negotiations now typically occur in various capitals and conference halls outside the UN's walls, with its high representatives rarely acting as mediators in active conflicts.

"This is a serious problem. We are talking about a reduction in the role of the UN," Tokayev emphasized. "I am very concerned about this."

He identified reform of the Security Council as the central challenge, calling it "the main element for reforming the UN." Tokayev pointedly noted that it is often this very body that obstructs solutions to vital international issues.

The President also referenced past criticism from leaders like former U.S. President Donald Trump about broken systems within the UN headquarters. However, he stressed that "the most serious problem is that the entire peacekeeping process is broken both in the United Nations and in other structures."

Tokayev highlighted anachronisms within the founding UN Charter—such as references to "enemy states" from 80 years ago—as symbolic of an organization struggling to stay relevant. He argued that today, those same states play crucial roles in funding and supporting global peace efforts.

While affirming his belief in multilateral diplomacy and a just future for humanity, Tokayev concluded with skepticism about empty declarations on conflict prevention or "preventive diplomacy," which he said has been discussed fruitlessly for 30 years.

The core question he posed was not who would become the next UN Secretary-General, but whether "the entire system will survive in its current form."