The United Nations Security Council is indeed failing to protect global peace due to growing dysfunction, entrenched veto power, and deep geopolitical rivalries. Despite its founding mandate to maintain international security, the Council has become increasingly paralyzed, unable to effectively address major conflicts and humanitarian crises worldwide. This failure undermines global stability and calls into question the Council’s legitimacy, prompting urgent demands from leaders like Ban Ki-moon and Helen Clark for comprehensive reform to restore its effectiveness.
The Current State of the Security Council: A Crisis of Functionality
Declining Resolutions and Increasing Deadlock
The Security Council’s ability to act decisively has been severely hampered in recent years. According to data from 2024, the Council adopted only 46 resolutions—the lowest number since 1991—down from 57 in 2021 and 50 in 2023. This decline reflects growing divisions among the Council’s 15 members, particularly the five permanent members (P5) who wield veto power. The proportion of unanimous adoptions has also decreased, with only about 65.2% of resolutions in 2024 receiving full support, compared to over 90% in the post-Cold War period.
This paralysis is most evident in the Council’s failure to address major ongoing conflicts. Wars in Ukraine and Gaza, the deterioration of the situation in Sudan, and political instability in Syria have all persisted without effective Security Council intervention. The Council’s dysfunction is largely attributed to irreconcilable strategic interests and worldviews among the major powers, which frequently clash during meetings, preventing consensus on critical issues.
Geopolitical Rivalries and the Veto Power
The entrenched veto power of the P5—China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States—has become a major obstacle to effective action. The veto allows any one of these members to block substantive resolutions, often leading to deadlock in crises where their interests diverge. This has been particularly visible in the Council’s handling of the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, where permanent members’ opposing stances have stymied unified responses.
Ban Ki-moon and Helen Clark warn that
“the UN is slipping into dysfunction as some traditional champions, notably the United States, retreat from multilateral cooperation and cut back their engagement”,
highlighting how this withdrawal exacerbates the paralysis. The veto system, rooted in colonial-era power structures, contradicts the UN Charter’s principles of sovereign equality and equal rights, marginalizing many member states, especially from the Global South.
The Human and Political Costs of Dysfunction
Impact on Global Conflicts and Humanitarian Crises
The Security Council’s paralysis has had devastating consequences. In Gaza, for example, the inability to secure a ceasefire or ensure humanitarian access has contributed to a severe humanitarian crisis, with tens of thousands killed and millions displaced. Similarly, the ongoing war in Ukraine remains unresolved at the Council level due to vetoes and geopolitical rivalries.
The UN’s peacekeeping missions have also been affected. Allegations of sexual abuse and human rights violations by UN peacekeepers have further eroded the organization’s credibility and moral authority. The failure to implement meaningful peacekeeping measures and to take decisive action in conflicts such as those in Syria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Sudan reflects the wider shortcomings of the UN system.
The Erosion of Multilateralism and Global Trust
The Security Council’s dysfunction has broader implications for international relations. The deepening atmosphere of distrust among major powers and the contrasting narratives about global priorities have strained multilateralism. The fragmentation of UN efforts is evident as member states increasingly turn to alternative forums, such as the International Court of Justice or the General Assembly, to address crises when the Council is deadlocked.
Ban Ki-moon and Helen Clark emphasize that “the UN should not be held hostage by a few powerful states”, warning that this dynamic undermines the organization’s legitimacy and effectiveness7. The retreat of key players from multilateral cooperation risks weakening the global governance architecture at a time when coordinated action is most needed to address transnational threats such as climate change, terrorism, and pandemics.
Calls for Reform: Aligning UN Principles with Practice
The Need for Security Council Reform
There is growing consensus among diplomats, experts, and former UN officials that meaningful reform of the Security Council is essential. The current structure, with its permanent membership and veto power, is widely seen as outdated and unrepresentative of today’s geopolitical realities. Calls for reform include expanding the number of permanent and non-permanent members, abolishing or limiting the veto, and increasing transparency and accountability.
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, former President of Liberia, has urged the General Assembly to take bold action to realize long-overdue Security Council reform, reflecting widespread frustration with the Council’s failure to address conflicts due to vetoes by permanent members. Such reform efforts face significant obstacles, including entrenched interests and geopolitical rivalries, but are critical to restoring the Council’s credibility.
The Role of the General Assembly and Other UN Bodies
With the Security Council’s standing declining, other UN bodies are increasingly stepping in to fill the void. The General Assembly has become more active in addressing crises, as seen in resolutions and debates on conflicts where the Council is deadlocked. The International Court of Justice has also gained prominence as a venue for legal challenges related to conflicts, including cases brought by South Africa against Israel and Gambia against Myanmar.
While these developments demonstrate the UN’s resilience, they also signal fragmentation within the organization. Ban Ki-moon and Helen Clark argue for reaffirming the UN’s core principles and ensuring that reform aligns with these values to strengthen the institution as a whole.
Leadership Challenges and the Path Forward
António Guterres’ Role in Navigating Crisis
The current UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, faces a daunting task in steering the organization through this turbulent period. He must balance competing interests among member states while addressing complex global challenges such as displacement, terrorism, nuclear proliferation, and climate change. Guterres’ leadership is critical to mobilizing coalitions and pushing for reforms that can revitalize the UN’s peace and security functions.
Samantha Power, the US Ambassador to the UN, underscores the importance of strong leadership to prevent further dysfunction and human suffering, emphasizing the need for the UN to effectively address transnational threats. However, the Secretary-General’s ability to act is constrained by the political realities of the Security Council and the broader international system.
The Urgency of Collective Action
The Security Council’s dysfunction is not merely a bureaucratic problem but a direct threat to global peace and security. The failure to act decisively in conflicts such as Ukraine and Gaza has resulted in immense human suffering and destabilized regions. As Ban Ki-moon and Helen Clark warn, “the UN’s dysfunction undermines global security”, and without reform, this trend is likely to continue.
Restoring the UN’s effectiveness requires collective political will from member states, especially the P5, to prioritize global stability over narrow national interests. It also demands greater inclusivity, transparency, and adherence to the UN Charter’s founding principles.
Reimagining the UN for the 21st Century
The United Nations Security Council stands at a crossroads. Its current dysfunction reflects deeper geopolitical shifts and institutional inertia that threaten to erode the organization’s foundational role in maintaining international peace and security. The voices of Ban Ki-moon, Helen Clark, and other global leaders highlight the urgent need for reform that aligns the Council’s structure and practices with the realities of the 21st century.
Meaningful reform is challenging but indispensable. Without it, the UN risks becoming increasingly irrelevant in a world facing complex, interconnected threats. The path forward lies in reaffirming the UN’s core principles, expanding representation, limiting veto power, and fostering genuine multilateral cooperation. Only then can the UN regain its capacity to act decisively and equitably in the service of global peace and security.
