The Foreign Desk Eighty years on, is the United Nations a relevant institution?
15 snips
Oct 25, 2025 
Join historian Tant Mienth-Hoo, Major General Patrick Kamert, legal expert Mona Ali Khalil, and diplomat John Bolton as they dissect the evolving role of the United Nations. Mienth-Hoo reveals how decolonization reshaped the UN, while Kamert reflects on peacekeeping successes and failures. Khalil discusses the need for Security Council reform and the significance of collective action. Bolton, known for his critiques, argues for major reforms and refocusing the UN on core peace and security tasks, amidst skepticism about its current effectiveness.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
UN's Purpose Versus Practical Limits
- The UN was created to prevent another world war but never promised perfect harmony among 193 states.
- Its longevity owes to broad membership rather than flawless effectiveness.
Utant's Journey To Global Leadership
- Tant Mienth-Hoo recounts his grandfather Utant rising from a Burmese schoolteacher to UN Secretary-General.
- Utant and newly decolonized leaders believed the UN could reshape global norms after empire.
Decolonization Reshaped UN Leadership
- The UN opened leadership roles to non-white, non-Western states for the first time.
- That shift helped newly independent nations shape post-colonial international order.
