{
  "id": 8792901,
  "title": "The UN’s credibility test",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/20/the-uns-credibility-test-8792901",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-20T23:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today-freemalays",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/opinion/2026/09/21/the-un-s-credibility-test"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In January, US President Donald Trump mentioned that his newly established Board of Peace could potentially supersede the United Nations. While this assertion may be dismissed as typical bluster, it highlights the diminished credibility of the UN. The world needs an organization capable of uniting nations to address global challenges such as climate change. However, various factors, including geopolitical rivalries, Security Council inaction, funding reductions, and the inclination of countries like the US to withdraw from multilateral institutions, are putting pressure on almost every UN mandate. The person who takes over from António Guterres as secretary-general in January will need to collaborate with member states to restore confidence in the UN's ability to act and demonstrate that multilateralism can still function. The UN remains the closest global forum to a universal one, with its legitimacy hinging on the breadth of its membership. Nonetheless, legitimacy does not equate to credibility. To prove its worthiness of the role the world requires it to fulfill, the UN must exhibit transparency in multilateral processes, enforce commitments, and hold those who establish rules accountable. This credibility test begins with the selection of the next secretary-general. Although candidates aiming to replace Guterres have disclosed their visions and faced inquiries from civil-society groups, the decision remains largely inscrutable, with the Security Council's five permanent members wielding significant influence. The irony is palpable: the UN seeks trust from the world in multilateral institutions, yet its most crucial appointment is determined in secrecy. The selection process's integrity is crucial to its credibility once the individual assumes office, necessitating a conflict-free selection procedure. The same principle applies to collective negotiations. While the 2015 Paris climate accord remains the most extensive pact the UN has ever negotiated, its largely non-binding structure has left implementation dependent on governments' willingness to adhere to their pledges. A decade later, that willingness has been inadequate compared to the industries striving to hinder climate action. The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) still lacks comprehensive rules for identifying and managing conflicts of interest, and fossil-fuel interests continue to exert influence over climate negotiations with limited scrutiny. Transparency International found that over half of the participants at the previous UN Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Belém did not fully disclose their institutional affiliations. Guterres has utilized his tenure to advocate for climate action, criticizing the fossil-fuel industry for expanding production despite knowing its business model conflicts with human survival. He has also called for a windfall tax on oil and gas profits. However, these measures are insufficient. With the UN Environment Programme warning that the global-warming threshold of 1.5° Celsius will be surpassed within three years at the current rate, the stakes are too high to remain uncertain about who shapes the world's response and to what end. The next secretary-general will not have the authority to establish conflict-of-interest rules for the UNFCCC process; such rules must be negotiated and adopted by governments. Nevertheless, that doesn't mean the secretary-general is powerless. The individual's public platform and influence across the UN system could be leveraged to urge governments and COP presidencies for more stringent integrity standards, emphasizing that the UN's climate efforts' credibility depends on the credibility of those seated at the negotiating table. Collective action is also necessary to combat high-level corruption, state capture, and the clandestine wealth networks. International rules' effectiveness hinges on governments' willingness to implement them and the institutions enforcing them. Both parties can be compromised by the very interests they're supposed to regulate. The UN Convention against Corruption stands as one of the most vital global frameworks for establishing common standards and holding governments accountable. The upcoming phase of its review in Vienna, focusing on criminalization and enforcement, presents a unique opportunity to strengthen its accountability mechanisms. However, for it to succeed, governments must permit scrutiny of their records. These issues are interconnected. Whether it's fossil-fuel interests undermining the COP process, the UN's corruption framework remaining unenforced, or the Security Council being paralyzed by great-power interests, the question remains the same: Does multilateralism still possess the strength to enforce rules, or can governments disregard them without repercussions? The next secretary-general cannot resolve this problem alone. However, they can choose to prioritize transparency by making conflicts of interest visible before they escalate into scandals and pressure governments to uphold their commitments. History offers numerous precedents. From Dag Hammarskjöld to Kofi A Annan, secretaries-general have frequently exercised influence beyond their formal mandates by fostering political credibility and personal authority. While candidates in this round have discussed efficiency, preventive diplomacy, and restoring confidence in the UN, they have offered limited insights into how they would ensure transparency and hold member states accountable. To restore credibility, the UN must initiate from within. This requires greater transparency about decision-making, resource utilization, and commitment implementation. With trust in multilateralism already waning, the UN must hold itself to the same standards it expects from others. Maíra Martini is the CEO of Transparency International. The opinions expressed are her own and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.",
  "summary": "The UN must demonstrate that multilateral processes can be transparent, commitments can be enforced, and that those who make the rules can be held accountable.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "The UN’s credibility test",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/20/the-uns-credibility-test",
        "published": "2026-09-20T23:00:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}