Powerful Nations’ Divisions Undermining UN Efforts to Resolve Global Crises, Reports Queen City News

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United Nations peacekeeping chief, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, has raised concerns about deep divisions among the world’s most powerful nations that are hindering the organization’s ability to promote peace and security globally. In an interview with The Associated Press, Lacroix highlighted the rift between the U.S. and the West on one side, and Russia and China on the other, as a major obstacle to effective peacekeeping efforts.

Lacroix pointed out that these divisions have led to situations where the presence of U.N. peacekeepers is questioned by conflicting parties, and in some cases, peacekeepers are even asked to leave, as seen in Mali and Congo. He emphasized the lack of a united international community that was present two decades ago when peace was restored in East Timor, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Cambodia.

With over 120 armed conflicts ongoing worldwide and millions of people suffering, Lacroix stressed the importance of addressing the underlying drivers of conflict such as inequality, poverty, climate change, and transnational criminal activities. He called for multilateral efforts to tackle these challenges and emphasized the need for countries to work together to effectively address global crises.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has proposed a “New Agenda for Peace” to address the evolving threats facing the world and promote multilateralism. The agenda includes a call for more adaptable peacekeeping models with exit strategies and support for peace enforcement actions by regional organizations.

As the U.N. looks towards the future of peace operations, Lacroix highlighted the need for a variety of options to address crises and emphasized the importance of finding new ways to promote peace in a changing geopolitical landscape. The upcoming “Summit of the Future” in September will focus on repairing divisions among nations and reaffirming the U.N.’s founding objective of preventing future generations from experiencing war.