Reform Of The United Nations [What Think Tanks Are Thinking]

As the United Nations celebrates its 70th anniversary in 2015 and its General Assembly holds its annual September sessions, the need to overhaul the organisation is widely recognised, but the differing national interests of its most powerful members hinder any major reform. Proposals concern most UN activities, from the composition and decision-making in its Security Council to peace support, human rights and development.

As supporters of the multilateral approach to foreign policy, the European Union and its member states back reforms that would make the UN stronger and more efficient, although they disagree on how to pursue possible changes in the Security Council.

This note offers a selection of recent studies by some of the major think tanks and research institutes which discuss the state of the UN and plans to reform it.

Written by Marcin Grajewski.