Rebeca Grynspan calls for United Nations reform

Rebeca Grynspan, Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and a candidate for the next UN Secretary-General, has advocated for a reform of the United Nations. Speaking at the World in Progress congress in Barcelona, Grynspan addressed growing skepticism regarding the organization's effectiveness.

Grynspan criticized the UN for being “risk-averse” and noted that the institution often fails to participate effectively in negotiation tables. She argued that the Secretary-General must be willing to assume the costs of failure or rejection to remain relevant. Additionally, she suggested that the UN lacks a culture of partnership, often operating under the assumption that all significant processes must occur within its New York headquarters.

Despite these criticisms, Grynspan defended the UN's inherent plurality, stating that the organization is not a club for countries with identical views, but rather a space designed to find convergence amidst divergence.