At the opening of the 81st UN General Assembly in New York on Sept. 22, UNGA President Khalil Rahman urged urgent UN reform to regain international trust amid ongoing regional conflicts, development shortfalls and disruptive technologies such as AI. Rahman said mere preservation of the institution is insufficient and that rebuilding trust is a central task for this session. He pressed for Security Council reform to increase representation and transparency, flagged Africa’s underrepresentation, a

At the opening of the 81st UN General Assembly in New York on Sept. 22, UNGA President Khalil Rahman urged urgent UN reform to regain international trust amid ongoing regional conflicts, development shortfalls and disruptive technologies such as AI. Rahman said mere preservation of the institution is insufficient and that rebuilding trust is a central task for this session. He pressed for Security Council reform to increase representation and transparency, flagged Africa’s underrepresentation, and warned the UN’s effectiveness is questioned when the Council cannot act on major issues. He called for a UN capable of proactively shaping change through reform and broader participation.