Since the adoption of the United Nations Charter in 1945, multilateral institutions have played a key role in managing great-power competition and shaping global norms. The United States has long led this system through political, financial, and institutional influence. However, declining U.S. commitment to parts of the UN system and the return of unilateral approaches have intensified debates over the legitimacy, effectiveness, and future of multilateralism.
This session explores how the United Nations can sustain legitimacy and operational effectiveness amid declining great-power consensus and changing patterns of U.S. engagement. By incorporating institutional memory and practical experience from former senior UN officials, the session seeks to assess the UN’s adaptive capacity, explore pathways for reform, and situate emerging proposals for alternative peace governance within the broader architecture of multilateral cooperation.