Otunnu Calls for UN to Return to Charter Basics, End Business as Usual

What the report says

Olara Otunnu, Uganda’s candidate for United Nations secretary-general, has urged the global body to overhaul how it works and return to the core principles of the UN Charter. Speaking at a stakeholder meeting in New York, where candidates for the post outlined their visions, he said the organization risks losing credibility unless it moves away from “business as usual” and makes reform a permanent part of its culture.

According to Nile Post, Otunnu said the UN should focus more firmly on peace and security, human rights and sustainable development. He argued that legitimacy, effectiveness and efficiency should guide the institution, and cautioned against politicizing or using human rights selectively. He also said the UN should be more open to cultural diversity while still protecting human dignity and social cohesion.

Otunnu identified several conflicts as urgent priorities for the next secretary-general, including wars and crises in Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan, the Great Lakes region, the Horn of Africa, the Sahel and Iran. He stressed the need for active mediation, dialogue and greater attention to civilians, especially women and children, who he said bear the heaviest burden of conflict.

He also raised artificial intelligence and other technologies as major issues for the UN’s future, saying they should be harnessed for public good and made accessible more widely. Otunnu pointed to his recent peacebuilding work in northern Uganda as part of his experience in rebuilding communities affected by insurgency, and said UN decisions should be tested by their impact at community level.