MINURSO is winding down after Security Council members failed to agree on its future, while Western Sahara’s dispute remains unresolved.

NEW YORK, United States — The race to choose the next United Nations secretary-general remains unresolved after a sixth informal

As drone strikes kill civilians from El Obeid to Blue Nile and famine risk spreads across Darfur and Kordofan, the Security Council meets on Sudan – the world’s largest hunger and displacement crisis. Ambassadors are expected to press yet again for a ceasefire, safe aid access and an end to the weapons flows fuelling the brutal conflict.

The latest straw poll in the selection process for the next United Nations Secretary-General has revealed that none of the seven candidates has secured the necessary support from all five permanent members of the UN Security Council, who hold veto power. This development leaves the door open for new candidates to emerge if current contenders fail to win over the key powers: the United States, Russia, China, Britain, and France. The poll, conducted on Friday, used red ballots to distinguish votes from the five veto-wielding members for the first time, with three leading candidates—Rebeca Grynspan of Costa Rica, Rafael Grossi of Argentina, and Carolyn Rodrigues Birkett of Guyana—each receiving two 'discourage' votes from these members. Grynspan, a former Costa Rican vice president, maintained the top position with nine 'encourage' votes. U.S. officials have indicated that none of the candidates meets the Trump administration's preferences, which include radical reform of the UN and potential withdrawal from multiple UN agencies. However, the U.S. has not ruled out supporting one of the current candidates, with Ambassador Mike Waltz emphasizing the need for 'strong, energetic leadership' focused on peace and security. The selection process is complicated by regional rotation traditions, with Latin America's turn for the position, and pressure to appoint the first female UN leader. Two candidates at the bottom of the poll were women—Maria Fernanda Espinosa of Ecuador and Ivonne A-Baki—while African contenders Olara Otunnu and Macky Sall received significant 'discourage' votes. The next straw poll is scheduled for next week, with both U.S. and Russian ambassadors expressing confidence that a candidate will be selected before year-end.

The EU is reviving the idea of a European Security Council as Russia's hybrid attacks continue and reliance on US commitment to NATO remains risky. But how could this look like? Ask the Euronews AI ch...

The EU is reviving the idea of a European Security Council as Russia's hybrid attacks continue and reliance on US commitment to NATO remains risky. But how could this look like? Ask the Euronews AI ch...

Escalating violence and human rights violations in the four-year-old Russia-Ukraine war are in the spotlight in the Security Council on Friday following a spate of Russian attacks against civilian targets and infrastructure in recent days.

The Security Council meets top of the hour to discuss Yemen, where a Houthi offensive launched in September has sharply escalated the 12-year-long war for control of the country and spillover from the US-Iran war has provoked a new displacement crisis.

Can the UN still remain relevant if it still looks and acts like the organization it was when it was formed in 1945? The debate over UN reform at the General Assembly in New York last month produced a striking common refrain from a diverse range of Member States.

The General Assembly met on Thursday to examine the Security Council’s latest veto, cast by China and Russia over a United States-backed sanctions panel of experts on Iran nuclear facilities.

The Security Council meets at 10am with the prospects for peace in the Middle East under strain on two fronts. In the West Bank, settler violence and settlement expansion are raising fears for a two-State solution. In Gaza, a year-old peace plan has stalled while civilian suffering continues. The meeting comes as the plan’s remaining phases, including Hamas’ disarmament and Israel’s full withdrawal, remain unimplemented, and as the illegality of settlements under international law remains a key point of contention.

Burning down the house

NEW YORK, Sept 27 — Malaysia has called for the United Nations Security Council’s veto power to be challenged and ultimately abolished, warning that repeated paralysis in the Council is undermining global confidence in the international system. Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, delivering Malaysia’s national statement during the General Debate of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, said reform of the Security Council had become one of the most urgent issues facing the United Nations. Mohamad said the world was facing growing wars, major-power rivalry, pressure on international arms-control structures and rapid […]