The United Nations has become "barely involved" in resolving the world's conflicts and must urgently reclaim this role, argued Rafael Grossi, Director General of the IAEA and candidate to lead the UN.
"If you look now at most of the conflicts in the world, you will see one thing — the UN is not there. And I am thinking from Sudan to Thailand, Cambodia. You can do a line in the map and go through Europe and Ukraine and Russia and go in the subcontinent and to these places. And I think this can change. This can change. It has been done here, it can be done there. It is a matter of engagement, trust, very important," Grossi said.
The UN is not helping in the settlement of the conflict in Ukraine, US President Donald Trump said earlier.
The United Nations is facing a severe financial crisis caused by unpaid contributions from several member states. The largest contributor—and consequently, the largest debtor—is the United States, which currently owes more than $3 billion. In response to this shortfall, the UN has begun laying off staff and cutting critical humanitarian programs. Austerity measures have also reached its headquarters: cafeteria prices have increased, and some dining facilities have been shut down entirely.