The UN risks becoming a collection of “zombie” bodies if it does not urgently reform its institutions in the face of drastic funding cuts, Australia’s foreign minister warned.
Attention has largely focused on Washington paring back its contributions, but writing for the Lowy Institute, a leading Sydney-based think tank, Penny Wong noted that six of the top 10 donors looked set to cut their commitments, leaving open the risk of “a UN that simply contracts, becoming increasingly dysfunctional.”
Ultimately, she argued, mid-sized powers like Australia and smaller countries had to drive change at the UN “because we have the greatest interest.” Multilateralism “expanded our choices and our power,” she added.