UN Remains Relevant Despite Its Deficiencies — Gambari

Former Nigerian Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN), Prof. Ibrahim Agboola Gambari, has said that despite criticisms and structural deficiencies, the United Nations remains central to global peace and diplomacy.

Speaking on Channels Television’s ‘Inside Sources’ on Thursday morning, Gambari argued that politics must be understood within the broader configuration of global power, noting that no member-state has ever withdrawn from the UN, a testament to its enduring relevance.

“Politics is not aligned with the reality of the power configuration of the world. I am suggesting we must accept the UN in the context of power politics and the geopolitical situation of the world,” he said. “Given that no member of the UN has ever resigned, if there was a general dissatisfaction, then you would see countries moving away. However, the very fact that we have BRICS, G7, G20, G8 is also suggesting that countries are finding ways to augment the deficiencies of not just the United Nations but of the international environment.”

Gambari, who once served as Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari between 2020 and 2023, also reflected on the often-overlooked role of peacekeeping missions, stressing that their true success is not always visible.

“In the United Nations, it is not always easy to mention what you have prevented because it didn’t happen, and also the success of peacekeeping is not fully understood. But there was successful peacekeeping in Namibia, for example,” he said.

His remarks came as world leaders converged in New York for the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 80), where debates on reforming global governance remain high on the agenda with agitations by African countries for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council.