What can a new UN Secretary-General achieve?

In January 2027, a new Secretary-General will take the helm of the United Nations, an organisation founded on the principle of international cooperation. The role will involve navigating tensions between its most powerful members, while ensuring the UN can respond to global crises.

The organisation has struggled to influence negotiations in major conflicts, including in Ukraine, Gaza and Sudan. Meanwhile, US funding cuts and delays in contributions from major powers, alongside reductions in aid from major European countries, have added to the UN’s financial challenges.

The incoming Secretary-General will face pressure to build consensus among divided member states and maintain support for international cooperation.

What can the new Secretary-General achieve, and can one leader help the UN find common ground in an increasingly divided world?

Contributors

Teresa Whitfield, adjunct professor of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University and independent consultant, US

Sarah von Billerbeck, professor of International Relations at the University of Reading, UK

Daniel Forti, head of UN Affairs at the International Crisis Group, US

Dr Abiodun William, the former director of strategic planning at the United Nations, US

(Photo: United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaks during a press conference in Damascus, Syria. Credit: Rami Alsayed/NurPhoto/Getty Images)

Presenter: Tanya Beckett

Producer: Matt Toulson

Researcher: Evie Yabsley

Technical producer: Nicky Edwards

Production co-ordinator: Ellie Dover

Production management assistant: Tim Fernley