Shashi Tharoor delivered a powerful message at the Desmond Tutu Lecture, asserting the UN is indispensable but demanding renewal. We analyze his critique of UN failures over Gaza and Ukraine.
Shashi Tharoor UN Reform and Global Cooperation
In a powerful and poignant address delivered at the 15th Desmond Tutu International Peace Lecture in Cape Town, South Africa, Congress MP and former UN Under-Secretary-General Shashi Tharoor issued a compelling mandate for change, asserting that the United Nations remains absolutely indispensable, but must evolve dramatically to meet the challenges of the 21st century. The central message was clear: in the face of escalating global polarisation and humanitarian tragedies, the UN needs to be more responsive, more representative, and fundamentally resilient.
Drawing on his three decades of experience serving the organization from 1978 to 2007, Tharoor offered a nuanced perspective, acknowledging the body’s enduring mission while openly citing its recent, highly visible UN failures. He specifically referenced the catastrophic conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, which have tested the limits of international cooperation and exposed the paralysis within key multilateralism institutions.
