As the United Nations marks its 80th anniversary this year, it is important to reflect on what the world’s most prominent multilateral institution has achieved — and why it remains indispensable.
Since its founding in 1945, the U.N. has deployed over 70 peacekeeping missions, helped stabilize conflict zones, protected civilians and delivered vital humanitarian aid to millions affected by war, famine and natural disasters. It has led major environmental efforts; ensures smooth transition towards the digital world; and remains the world’s central forum for diplomacy, uniting 193 member states around peace, development and human rights.
Yet this anniversary comes amid rising criticism. The U.N. faces growing scrutiny for its limited enforcement powers and frequent Security Council deadlocks due to vetoes. Concerns also persist about inequitable global governance, with developing and middle powers — especially from Africa, Asia and Latin America — underrepresented in global decision-making.
Some argue that the U.N. is outdated and should be bypassed in a multipolar world. But that would be a mistake.
Instead, we must modernize multilateralism to make the U.N. more responsive to regional priorities and more reflective of today’s global realities. Central to this is empowering developing and middle powers to lead on regional issues — supported by the legitimacy of the U.N. system. This would amplify the voices of countries with the knowledge and stakes to act effectively, while reducing the downsides of overly centralized responses.
A concrete example of this approach is the establishment of the U.N. Regional Center on Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty, Kazakhstan’s largest city, following the adoption of a resolution by the General Assembly on March 4. The regional center will serve as a hub for practical solutions, supporting regional cooperation on issues such as climate change, economic integration and water security.
Working closely with the U.N., the regional center will empower countries in the region to address shared challenges through coordinated, results-focused action. For Kazakhstan and its neighbors, it reflects the simple truth that those who live in a region are best placed to shape peace, development and lasting progress. The center brings the Sustainable Development Goals closer to the people they’re meant to serve, translating global goals into local impact.
The regional center also offers a forward-looking model. Globally, the U.N. should partner with regional actors, enabling developing and middle powers to lead on locally relevant issues, whether in the Sahel, Southeast Asia or Latin America. This approach will foster a more inclusive, flexible and effective multilateral system.
Developing countries and middle powers are the ones who often believe most deeply in the U.N.’s purpose. They see it as the only universal platform where all states — large and small — can speak, negotiate and build consensus. If the U.N. is to truly serve the global community, then its structures, particularly the Security Council, must be reformed to include more voices from outside the permanent five members (the U.S., the U.K., France, Russia and China). Only then can the U.N. better address the diverse and urgent regional challenges of our time.
Kazakhstan, for its part, has long demonstrated its commitment to lead regionally and to act responsibly on the global stage when given the opportunity.
Regionally, our country has worked to support the development and reintegration of Afghanistan. We have provided humanitarian assistance, championed educational programs for Afghan youth and pushed for the country’s integration into regional trade and energy networks. We believe that stability in Afghanistan is essential to the prosperity of Central Asia. Our region cannot unlock its full potential while one of our neighbors remains isolated. This engagement must be undertaken by the countries that understand the local context working in partnership with the U.N., not from the distant desks of global bureaucracies.
Globally, Kazakhstan has supported peaceful conflict resolution and responsible diplomacy. We have hosted negotiations under the Astana Process on Syria, facilitated peace talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan last year and consistently advocated for a diplomatic resolution to the war in Ukraine. We have also deployed peacekeeping personnel to the Golan Heights and participate in various other U.N. missions, including the Mission in South Sudan, the Truce Supervision Organization and the Interim Security Force for Abyei. We were also honored to serve as a non-permanent member of the Security Council from 2017 to 2018.
I believe the U.N. can become an even more vital organization if reforms are implemented. That is why we positively assess the UN80 Initiative, launched by Secretary-General António Guterres in March, which aims to modernize and strengthen the U.N.’s operations, review outdated mandates, improve efficiency and ensure that it can respond effectively to today’s global challenges.
If we succeed in making the U.N. more representative, more regionally grounded and more results-focused, we will have an institution fit for the 21st century — one that can lead the charge on issues ranging from climate change and food insecurity to conflict prevention and technological governance.
For its part, Kazakhstan will remain a proactive partner in these efforts. For instance, we renounced the world’s fourth-largest nuclear weapons arsenal upon gaining independence in 1991 and contributed to the establishment of the Central Asian Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in 2006. Since then, we have advocated globally for the elimination of nuclear weapons, including by signing the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in 2018, and have promoted the peaceful use of nuclear energy. We will continue to push for a world free of nuclear weapons by the U.N.’s centenary in 2045 and to champion diplomacy, dialogue and multilateral cooperation at every level.
In the spirit of this anniversary, the international community must not give up on the United Nations, but rather recommit to it, reform it and strengthen it. This universal organization is absolutely essential for humanity — there is no alternative.
Working together, member states can enhance the U.N.’s authority and ensure that it delivers tangible benefits to people around the world.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has served as the president of Kazakhstan since 2019.
