Why the UN's Survival Relies on Skilled Diplomacy Rather Than Bureaucracy

As New York hosts the annual gathering known as “UN week,” the organization's vast network encompassing humanitarian relief, bureaucracy, administration, and treaty agencies is fully assembled alongside thousands of stakeholders, from heads of state and government to activists. Amid worsening global conflicts, the fundamental question arises: is there a better alternative to the UN for navigating these crises? Rather than dismissing the institution, we should value it for its potential, focusing particularly on the political operations that quietly work behind the scenes to bridge tensions between member states.

Ahead of the UN General Assembly, a memorial was held on Friday at the New York Headquarters for Nicholas Haysom, also known as “Fink,” a recently deceased former official and envoy. Universally hailed as one of the good ones during a time when the UN faces questions about its credibility, Fink served as chief legal and constitutional adviser to Nelson Mandela in South Africa and later played a leading role in post-Saddam Hussein Iraq and post-Omar Al Bashir Sudan. UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric noted that Fink always strove to be on “the right side of history” and described him as a formidable player in the “combat zone of the 38th floor,” the leadership suite around the Secretary General’s office.

Observing from across the Atlantic, it is evident that the UN must prioritize its dedicated cadre of political operators to tackle severe global problems. Former UK foreign secretary David Miliband recently argued that a new approach is required to counter forces driving global conflicts, pointing to a shift involving a “diffusion of power globally and concentration of power nationally.” This dynamic renders traditional grassroots approaches—which lean on administrative and bureaucratic strengths—less effective.

Writer Robert Pape has similarly emphasized the critical need for political skills like those possessed by Fink. With global dynamics shifting and conflicts increasingly driven by deep-seated internal political divisions that spill over internationally, supra-national directions and micro-management through UN-style programs are no longer sufficient. Despite these hurdles, the UN remains the only body with the infrastructure to address these sweeping issues alongside the fundamental challenges of war.

Covering global needs from disease and climate change to hunger, the UN's operational footprint is indispensable. As a new Secretary General prepares to take office next year, the leadership would be wise to strengthen its political team. With major powers finding that military and technical dominance cannot prevent escalation in regions like the Middle East, the UN must adopt a more nimble and robust political edge. While this requires an internal reshuffle, it represents a necessary consolidation around the organization's most effective tools as it faces long-running emergencies like climate change, supply system breakdowns, and the rise of AI.