The transition to a new United Nations Secretary-General offers an opportunity to reassess Europe’s relationship with the organisation amid geopolitical tensions, budgetary constraints and shifts in global power. This policy brief, developed as part of the GRIT project, examines the factors shaping Europe’s engagement with the UN and explores how the next Secretary-General can address the region’s priorities. It identifies three key areas for action: peace and security, migration, and artificial intelligence governance. The brief also recommends making better use of the Secretary-General’s existing tools, strengthening member states’ political and financial support, and fostering stronger ties between Europe and other regions through a more equitable distribution of power within the UN.
Policy Brief: A (re)newed case for the UN: Europe and the future of UN leadership
Principales hallazgos
Europe remains a major financial contributor to the UN, but its political influence is perceived to be declining. While earmarked funding gives European countries considerable leverage over the UN system, inconsistencies in their engagement and limited outreach to other regions weaken their influence in formal decision-making settings.
The next Secretary-General should prioritise three areas where the UN can play a distinctive role for Europe. These are peace and security, particularly a potential peace process and post-war reconstruction in Ukraine; migration, through multilateral responses to its root causes; and AI governance, by bringing fragmented initiatives together and preventing duplication.
Strengthening Europe’s engagement requires better use of existing tools and a compelling case for a more equitable multilateral system. Rather than creating new mandates or processes, the next Secretary-General should draw on their convening power, good offices and agenda-setting role, backed by member states’ political and financial support.
Main Findings
Europe remains a major financial contributor to the UN, but its political influence is perceived to be declining. While earmarked funding gives European countries considerable leverage over the UN system, inconsistencies in their engagement and limited outreach to other regions weaken their influence in formal decision-making settings.
The next Secretary-General should prioritise three areas where the UN can play a distinctive role for Europe. These are peace and security, particularly a potential peace process and post-war reconstruction in Ukraine; migration, through multilateral responses to its root causes; and AI governance, by bringing fragmented initiatives together and preventing duplication.
Strengthening Europe’s engagement requires better use of existing tools and a compelling case for a more equitable multilateral system. Rather than creating new mandates or processes, the next Secretary-General should draw on their convening power, good offices and agenda-setting role, backed by member states’ political and financial support.
About the author
Acerca del autor