SATV, Kathmandu, Apr. 29 - The visiting President of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Annalena Baerbock, said on Tuesday that the UN, multilateralism and international law are under “direct attack”. Baerbock, who met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar Tuesday, also made a dig at US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace, wondering how a framework based on joining fee for nations will operate and adding that there is a reason the UN is responsible for ensuring peace and security in the world.

“Because every country, no matter how big or small, how powerful or rich has a seat at the table, because you will not find just peace for anybody in the world if you have to pay the fee to join it,” she said. Her comments are important since Trump’s Board of Peace has been perceived as an alternative to the UN. After meeting Baerbock, Jaishankar said that they discussed UN80, SDGs, AI implications and the West Asia conflict. “Underscored the need for reformed multilateralism reflective of today’s realities, particularly of the Global South.”

Addressing the media at the UN House after the meeting, Baerbock said, “We are witnessing growing geopolitical tensions, increasing fragmentation, and pressure on the three pillars of the UN — peace and security, development, and human rights… Today, the UN, multilateralism, and international law are not only under pressure, but under direct attack.” During her meeting with Jaishankar, Baerbock focused on strengthening cooperation on shared global priorities and highlighted India’s role as an essential partner in advancing multilateral solutions.

Admitting that the UN was indeed facing challenges in an increasingly fragmented world, she emphasised that it is still the only fora where all 193 countries are represented and have equal rights. “As much as the world needs the UN, the UN these days also needs the world,” she said.

“Bringing peace to regions is not as easy as just speaking about it,” she said, when asked about the West Asia conflict. “You need the experience of ceasefire, negotiation, and the UN is a unique place where every country around the world has been at the table — no matter how big or small, no matter how powerful or rich.” “And yes, it is challenging for the United Nations these days, but we should not forget it has always been challenging. There was no single decade in UN history without a war,” she added.

Baerbock, who was earlier Foreign minister of Germany, also weighed in on reforms in UNSC, something that New Delhi has advocated consistently over the last few decades. This is also important since Germany and India are part of the G-4 grouping, which has been pushing for UNSC reforms.