In a closed briefing to reporters, UN diplomatic sources described a mixed picture: “dark shadows” from the Security Council’s failures and a cash crunch, but also “significant and tangible” outcomes across multiple policy files, according to CNA.
Where the system is faltering
Officials acknowledged that the Council’s inability to act decisively on Ukraine, Gaza and several African conflicts has damaged the UN’s standing with the public.
They warned of a “real liquidity crisis,” citing reduced voluntary contributions and the United States’ withdrawal from several UN bodies. The shortfall is affecting day-to-day operations and the atmosphere inside the Organisation.
Some states are “questioning the UN’s legitimacy” on human rights and international law, the sources said, seeking to build a parallel architecture that casts the UN as an instrument of Western hegemony.
What is still working
Over the past year, member states concluded a Global Health Treaty, reached WTO deals on fisheries, adopted two WIPO treaties (on genetic resources and copyright), and finalised the High Seas Treaty. Diplomats also reported consensus to create an international governance mechanism for artificial intelligence, analogous to the IPCC in climate.
“These are not minor achievements. The UN remains a venue that forges consensus on major issues,” one diplomat said.
While recognising stalemates on Ukraine and Gaza, the same officials pointed to “positive developments” in Haiti, Lebanon and Sudan.
A pivotal test: the 22 September two-state conference
Diplomats placed particular weight on the upcoming conference on a two-state solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, calling it “a milestone that restores hope.” They argued that the recent New York Declaration, backed by 142 countries, “pulls the rug from under extremists on both sides.”
“A vote in favour effectively recognises both Palestine and Israel,” one said. The message from the international community, they added, is unchanged: “The solution remains two states, with a Palestine that is viable and feasible thanks to international support.”
The numbers behind the New York Declaration
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25 of 27 EU member states voted in favour.
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Almost all Arab and Islamic states supported it, with the exceptions of Iran and Tunisia.
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12 countries voted against, among them several small Pacific island states and Israel—but diplomats said this did not alter the overall picture.
Recognition dynamics
More than ten countries are considering recognition of Palestine, the sources said, naming France, Belgium, Portugal, Denmark, Luxembourg, New Zealand and Malta among those weighing announcements. With 145 recognitions already on the books, “new moves would bring the total close to 155,” they estimated.
Recognition is “symbolic but substantive,” they added, reversing the Oslo-era logic: “Thirty years of talks yielded no result. Now we must say: Palestine exists, and then negotiate borders, the capital and technical details.” Practicalities, such as opening embassies, would follow later.
Iran: snapback on the table
A vote on the sanctions snapback mechanism against Iran is imminent “unless there is a miracle.” If Tehran grants the IAEA immediate access to all nuclear sites, “it would mark a new beginning”; otherwise, “the vote is inevitable.” Even so, diplomats hope the Iranian President’s presence in New York can reopen dialogue with France, Germany and the United Kingdom.
Ukraine: low expectations at the Council
A Security Council meeting may be held next week, but officials downplayed prospects for meaningful movement.
This General Assembly will amount to a referendum on the future of the multilateral system, the diplomats said. The world will see “which states remain committed to the legality of international law and which prefer to replace it with relations of power,” and whether nations will stay the course set by the San Francisco Charter eighty years ago.
