THE UN AT 75: What hopes for reform?
In the pandemic year, and with most debate about the international system focusing on the role of the World Health Organization, it was a difficult time to try to use the UN’s 75th anniversary as an opportunity to talk about reform and renewal, as many among the civil society that engages with the UN had hoped. Nevertheless, work to do so continued, even if it attracted relatively little attention.
Guided by the principles of the UN Charter, the Declaration on the Commemoration of the 75th Anniversary of the United Nations rightfully commits to improving digital cooperation worldwide. Through this formal commitment, the UN finally paid heed to the transformative impact digital technologies have on our daily lives, paving a path – or, as better captured by the UNSG, a ‘roadmap’ – to steer us through the promises and perils of the digital age.
Laura O'Brien
