A Call for Reform: Tokayev at Astana Forum on the UN and Global Order

At the Astana International Forum, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan described the United Nations as the sole universal global institution that unites nations across the planet. The remarks were reported by TASS, underscoring the forum’s role as a platform for high-level dialogue on international institutions and global governance. Tokayev emphasized that the UN stands as a central pillar in a world facing rapid geopolitical shifts, yet he equally stressed the need for a serious overhaul of how global security is managed. The message carried a clear signal: legitimacy and effectiveness must go hand in hand if the UN is to remain relevant in an era marked by new challenges, including cyber security, climate-related risks, and evolving regional tensions. The President pointed to the Security Council as a core element whose reform is essential for the organization to keep pace with current realities and to better reflect the distribution of power and responsibility on the world stage. He suggested that without a wide-ranging reform process, the UN may struggle to craft timely, coherent responses to emergent crises and to coordinate collective action among its diverse member states.