Stalled reform talks expose limits of the General Assembly

By Cecília Dias - CNN

09/11/2025

The United Nations finds itself at a crossroads that lays bare its institutional and political weaknesses. For many analysts, the lack of truly inclusive governance undermines the organization’s ability to foster meaningful debate on today’s most pressing global challenges. Others argue that the current power structure of the Security Council, a relic of the post–World War II order, no longer mirrors the realities of the 21st century. Within this debate, the reform of the Security Council and the veto power stands as the most contested symbol of imbalance within the UN system.

After three days of intense negotiations over Security Council reform, expectations were high that the General Assembly — the UN’s most representative body — would produce tangible progress toward a more legitimate and inclusive framework. Instead, the sessions were marred by persistent disagreement and the absence of a sustainable path forward.

The unwavering stance of the P5 (United States, China, France, Russia, and the United Kingdom) in retaining their veto authority emerged as the central point of contention. French delegate, Cecília Rocha, described the veto as “more a responsibility than a privilege,” adding that the permanent members “know what they are doing and do it for the good of the world”. Her remarks, however, were met with skepticism by many delegations who see in the veto system the perpetuation of historical inequities.

Even the G4 nations (Germany, Brazil, India, and Japan) failed to gain traction, with particular attention given to a proposal by the Mexican delegate, Monique Oliveira, to ‘maintain the veto but restrict its use to cases of humanitarian crisis’. Ultimately, the debate proved sluggish and inconclusive, with only three Working Papers produced before the Final Resolution. The much-anticipated reform was reduced to a procedural discussion about restricting veto power, with little concrete outcome or political consensus — mainly from the P5. In a telling irony, the General Assembly ended up mirroring the very condition it sought to overcome: paralysis within the multilateral system.