Source · Select Committees · Foreign Affairs Committee
Recommendation 2
2
Accepted
Outline strategy for engaging with rapidly changing multilateral system and UN80 reform agenda
Recommendation
The Government should outline its strategy for responding to and engaging with a rapidly changing multilateral system, in its response to this report. This should include a roadmap detailing the UK’s engagement with the ongoing United Nations 80 (UN80) reform agenda at the United Nations and ensuring that the UK is actively in the room and enhancing the efficiency and the effectiveness of the United Nations. This strategy should also indicate how the UK’s soft power and status as a global convening power will enable the UK to navigate the challenging and fragmented period ahead. (Recommendation, Paragraph 30)
Government response summary AI-generated
The government states it is already committed to leveraging its diplomatic expertise and overseas network, actively countering disinformation and using UN platforms to denounce malign activity and champion rights. It highlights ongoing efforts to challenge Russian abuses within the UN system but does not outline a specific new strategy or roadmap.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government · verbatim extract
Accepted
2. HMG recognises the significant challenges faced by the multilateral system as highlighted by the Committee. HMG notes the contextual challenges of navigating a multi-polar world, complex conflicts, development and the climate and nature crises, as well as Russia’s violations of the UN Charter and disruption of multilateral fora. Internally, the UN is struggling with a liquidity crisis. Nonetheless, as set out in the 2025 Strategic Defence Review the UK remains committed to multilateralism. As explained in the UK’s 2025 National Security Strategy, “it remains the case—as it has been for many decades—that British interests are best served by the preservation of international security and effective multilateral cooperation on issues from economic stability to energy policy”. Multilateral cooperation remains crucial to tackle conflict and transnational issues, and HMG considers the UN’s founding purposes and principles as essential today as they were 80 years ago. 3. In this context HMG agrees with the Committee on the importance of the UN80 initiative, which presents a generational opportunity for UN reform. HMG is committed to using our full range of diplomatic tools to achieve these objectives and has been an active participant ‘in the room’ during early negotiations of UN80 initiatives, whilst in parallel building wider support through bilateral and mini-lateral engagement. 4. The following response provides further information on HMG’s approach to navigate this complexity.
Read the full response on Parliament ↗