The United Nations has become overly cautious and lost its willingness to take risks in the interest of resolving international conflicts. The next secretary-general must be prepared for diplomatic failures and new attempts to achieve peace. One of the leading contenders for the post of UN chief, Rebeca Grynspan, said this in an interview with Reuters, reports UNN.
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The 70-year-old economist and former vice president of Costa Rica criticized the organization’s current work, saying it should become more actively involved in resolving wars, particularly in Ukraine and the Middle East.
I think the UN has become too risk-averse. We need to be ready to pay the price of refusal, the price of failure, and try again. That is the UN’s job
Grynspan proposes cutting bureaucracy and changing the approach to diplomacy
The candidate also advocated reducing the number of positions, eliminating duplication of functions among UN agencies, and reforming governance. At the same time, she warned that simply cutting costs without structural changes could only make the situation worse.
As an example, Grynspan cited her own experience leading the UN Conference on Trade and Development, where, she said, she managed to cut 20% of positions.
She also mentioned the negotiations on the Black Sea Grain Initiative in 2022. In her view, it is precisely quiet diplomacy that makes it possible to find solutions even in conflicts involving permanent members of the Security Council.
We did not approach the press. It was quiet diplomacy that worked
The statements came ahead of a new UN Security Council survey on candidates for the post of secretary-general. The organization’s current chief, António Guterres, will complete his second term on December 31, 2026.
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