Former UN official von Sponeck: US unilateral policies leave UN dysfunctional
Harici 8/9/25
"US's unilateral foreign policy has made the UN unable to fulfill its peace mission."
Former UN Iraq Humanitarian Coordinator Hans-Christof von Sponeck stated that international relations is in the period of "greatest geopolitical division". Stating that the US's unilateral foreign policy has made the UN unable to fulfill its peace mission, von Sponeck stressed that global threats affect all countries and this provides a one-time opportunity to create a “survival community”.
Former United Nations (UN) Iraqi Humanitarian Aid Coordinator Hans-Christof von Sponeck, in his speech at the panel organized by the Schiller Institute, stated that the world is going through a period of "perhaps the greatest geopolitical division in creating a humanitarian and dignified world order".
Sponeck said the Yalta Conference in 1945 was replaced by the dream of leaving wars behind and establishing multilateral cooperation with a "nightmare of fear, uncertainty and conflict".
Von Sponeck stated that the time-defying ethics and vision of the UN Charter remains in existence, but the political UN, especially the Security Council, is largely inadequate in fulfilling its peace mission.
"The only reasonable explanation of the UN's failure is the USA"
Noting the root reason for the UN's failure to achieve peacekeeping, von Sponeck said, "I'm not saying this lightly, the most important reason is that the United States pursues global geopolitical interests through a unilateral foreign policy."
Sponeck emphasized that the US uses its military and economic power both within and outside the UN, not according to the principles of rule of law and multilateralism, but at its own discretion.
Von Sponeck stated that this situation should be accepted as a serious fact, not an ideological statement, and said, "This is the only reasonable explanation for the turmoil in international relations and the disappointing performance of the UN."
“The construction site area is too large for a new world order”
Stating that the "multi-sided construction site" is huge for a new, peaceful and fair world order, von Sponeck listed the reforms to be made as follows:
“This is about the geographical adjustment of the Security Council, which no longer has the ability to represent. This is about reforming the veto application. This is about the cooperation between the General Assembly as the majority of states and the Security Council as the minority of states. This is about the independence of the work of the Secretary General and specialist organizations and their protection against bilateral interventions.”
Sponeck also reminded that the UN's annual budget is $3.7 billion, “This is no more than 46 cents for every citizen in the world. The UN is so cheap," he said, pointing to the need for a new and fair international economic order that has long been demanded by non-Western countries.
“The tool bag needed for my transformation is ready”
Stating that there are reasons to be optimistic despite the current geopolitical situation, von Sponeck said that the majority of states and civil society organizations are no longer willing to accept a “West-centered world.”
Stating that the "international toolbox" necessary for the transformation is ready, Sponeck emphasized that the most decisive factor missing is the "political will of the great powers to unanimously dedicate themselves to future multilateralism".
“Here, there is a one-off opportunity for a survival community,” Sponeck said, noting that global threats such as climate change, nuclear weapons, epidemics and migration affect all 193 UN member countries without exception.
Stating that these common threats may provide a basis for developing the currently non-existent “multi-sided team spirit”, von Sponeck concluded his words with a quote from the French thinker Stefan Hessel: “Creating something new means showing resistance. To resist is to create something new.”