United Nations – The United Nations marks its 80th anniversary this Friday amid a deep financial crisis and growing skepticism toward multilateralism, as the organization faces new global challenges ranging from climate change to artificial intelligence.
Founded on Oct. 24, 1945, after World War II by 50 nations aiming to preserve peace and security, the UN now counts 193 member states and two observers, the Holy See and Palestine.
Eight decades later, its mission and influence are being tested by new geopolitical realities and waning confidence in global cooperation.
Eroding faith in multilateralism
Distrust in the UN and the broader multilateral system has grown in recent years, fueled by nationalist leaders such as former United States President Donald Trump.
Speaking at the UN General Assembly in September, Trump criticized what he called the organization’s “enormous potential” that has become “empty words.”
The UN has also faced mounting criticism over the limited effectiveness of its Security Council, where five permanent members: China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, hold veto power.
Calls for reform to make the body more representative have repeatedly stalled.
“The credibility of the Security Council is at stake,” said a European diplomat on condition of anonymity. “Without reform, the UN’s ability to respond to conflicts will continue to erode.”
The organization’s diminishing mediation role has further weakened its image.
While the UN struggles to broker ceasefires, the Trump administration advanced unilateral peace efforts, including its mediation between Israel and Hamas last year.
Severe funding shortfall
Amid these political challenges, the UN is also battling a severe funding shortfall.
As of Sep. 30, 57 countries owed the organization 1.87 billion dollars in mandatory contributions, of which 1.5 billion dollars is owed by the United States, according to UN figures.
At the opening of a new photo exhibition in New York marking the anniversary, Secretary-General António Guterres urged nations to renew their commitment to shared solutions.
“This exhibition invites us to ask: what more could we achieve if the world worked harder to forge common ground?” he said.
Historically, the US has been the UN’s largest donor, covering 22% of its regular budget and about 26% of peacekeeping operations.
China, the second-largest contributor with around 15%, has sought to expand its influence within the organization, presenting itself as a defender of multilateralism, though critics warn this serves Beijing’s political ambitions.
Under Trump, Washington scaled back contributions to key programs such as UNICEF and the UN Development Programme and withdrew from the Human Rights Council and the World Health Organization.
To address the current crisis, Guterres has proposed a comprehensive reform plan known as UN80, which includes a 15% cut to the Secretariat’s budget by 2026 and the elimination of more than 2,000 positions.
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