Jeremić Speaks in Vienna on UN Reform

CIRSD President Vuk Jeremić participated in the 45th Vienna Seminar of the International Peace Institute entitled “The United Nations at 70.” which took place on May 6-7.

This renowned annual international conference is supported by the Austrian Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defense.

The conference consisted of six panel discussions featuring, amongst others, senior officials from the United Nations, the Austrian government, and the OSCE. Throughout the seminar, emphasis was placed on the necessity for the UN to adapt to changing global circumstances whilst increasing its efficiency and relevance in the 21st century.

Jeremić participated in a keynote panel entitled “One Step Ahead: Strengthening Preventive Diplomacy and Crisis Management across regions,” where he was joined, amongst others, by the Slovak Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Miroslav Lajcak.

CIRSD’s President noted that the UN currently lacks a truly holistic institutionalized early warning mechanism, noting that the speed of the changes taking place throughout the world is increasingly outpacing the tempo of changes at the United Nations.

“The UN should not be afraid to learn from those regional organizations which have developed conflict prevention and early-warning frameworks, adopt their best practices and deepen cooperation and coordination with them”, Jeremić said.

Jeremić stated that we cannot address 21st-century-challenges with a 20th-century mindset and called for an approach that more fully embraces multilateralism, with a revitalized, reformed, and more effective UN standing at the fulcrum of the international community’s efforts.

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