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Rebeca Grynspan on reforming the UN for a new era
“The UN is unique ... but it’s not alone,” she says. Grynspan calls for a smarter, more collaborative multilateral system that focuses on the global challenges only the UN can solve, while empowering countries, regions, and institutions that now have the capacity to act.
This conversation was recorded at the Abu Dhabi Global AI Summit as part of GZERO Media’s Global Stage series, presented in partnership with Microsoft, which brings together global leaders to explore the intersections of geopolitics, technology, and society.
Updating the UN at 80: A panel conversation from the 2025 Paris Peace Forum
As the UN reaches its 80th anniversary, pivotal questions arise: How can it evolve to address contemporary global challenges? What reforms are essential for maintaining its relevance?
At the 2025 Paris Peace Forum, GZERO Media's Tony Maciulis led a lively panel discussion on the urgent need for organizational reform. The conversation featured top UN officials and global partners reflecting on both the challenges and opportunities ahead.
Michelle Bachelet, former President of Chile and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, emphasizes the need for efficiency and transparency to rebuild trust in the UN, stating, "UN needs to be relevant so people can trust them."
Maria Fernanda Espinosa, Executive Director of GWL Voices and former UN General Assembly President, calls for action on a "new financial compact," urging collaboration between public, private, and civil sectors to govern global commons effectively.
Marjeta Jager from the European Commission called for bold reforms: "We need to merge, sometimes cut, we need to do the system consolidation."
Dr. Henry Huiyao Wang, Founder and President of the Center for China and Globalization, highlights China’s commitment to supporting multilateralism and stressed the role of peacekeeping.
With discussions of reform, the panel echoes the need for collective action to address global complexities, envisioning a future with a possible female Secretary-General for effective empathetic leadership.
Paris Peace Forum's Justin Vaïsse on a post-American world
As the United States steps back from the multilateral system it helped build, the question of global leadership grows louder: who leads next?
At the 2025 Paris Peace Forum, founder and director general Justin Vaïsse tells GZERO Media’s Tony Maciulis that Washington’s retreat has left “holes in the system,” from climate action to global health, forcing countries to rethink alliances.
“Many nations don’t want to be constrained by the US-China competition,” Vaïsse says. “They want good relations with both, without depending on either.”
That vision anchors this year’s Forum theme, New Coalitions for Peace, People & the Planet, a call for cooperation in an increasingly fragmented world. Vaïsse points to France’s President, Emmanuel Macron, as one of the few leaders still “injecting energy into the system” by bringing global actors to the table.
This conversation is part of GZERO Media’s Global Stage series, presented in partnership with Microsoft.
The UN at 80: Reform, multilateralism & the Global South’s voice
"It’s the only space right now that the Global South has for multilateralism," says Ambassador Philip Thigo, special envoy on technology for the Republic of Kenya.
At 80 years, the UN faces calls for reform. Leaders argue that the Global South is driving consensus on key resolutions and that future multilateralism must also include private sector, civil society, and academia.
Watch more Global Stage coverage from the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly here: gzeromedia.com/globalstage
The UN at 80: Can multilateralism survive AI, war, and fragmentation?
A world beset by war, widening inequality, climate stress, and runaway AI demands institutions that can still deliver. In a Global Stage conversation recorded live on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly, moderated by journalist Julia Chatterley, our expert panel probes whether multilateralism can adapt amid crisis and competition.
The panelists test the resilience of global cooperation as conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, and Sudan strain resources and trust. Ian Bremmer, president and founder of Eurasia Group, argues that despite volatility—especially around U.S. policy—existing institutions remain indispensable, even as power dynamics shift. Rebeca Grynspan, secretary‑general of UNCTAD and former vice president of Costa Rica, warns that tariff escalations and budget cuts risk devastating the most vulnerable economies and humanitarian efforts, urging protection for least‑developed countries and smarter, more efficient use of limited funds. Brad Smith, vice chair and president of Microsoft, highlights how technology and “data center diplomacy” can boost efficiency and service delivery, while Ambassador Philip Thigo, Kenya’s special envoy on technology, underscores the Global South’s growing role in shaping consensus and the need for multistakeholder governance that brings private sector, civil society, and academia to the table.
The discussion zeroes in on AI’s uneven diffusion—and what it will take to close the gap in electricity access, connectivity, and digital skills so adoption translates into productivity and inclusive growth. S. Krishnan, secretary at India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), positions India as a bridge between North and South, leveraging low‑cost digital public infrastructure and frugal innovation to help countries leapfrog in targeted areas. Smith urges nations to focus not on building chips but on deploying AI to amplify existing strengths and talent, while Bremmer notes that pragmatic engagement with both US and Chinese tech ecosystems can help countries avoid dependency. The optimistic takeaway: reform is necessary, cooperation is rising, and leaders have real agency to steer technology toward the common good.
This conversation is presented by GZERO in partnership with Microsoft, as part of the Global Stage series, which convenes global leaders for critical conversations on the geopolitical and technological trends shaping our world.
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- Live premiere Nov. 3: Global Stage at the Abu Dhabi Global AI Summit - GZERO Media ›
The world is on fire and the UN is running out of money
Ian Bremmer sits down with UN Secretary-General António Guterres ahead of the 80th UN General Assembly to talk about war, diplomacy, and the existential pressure on global governance.
Guterres doesn’t mince words: “What’s happening today in Gaza is morally, politically, and legally intolerable.” With conflicts raging from Gaza to Ukraine to Sudan, and funding for life-saving aid programs evaporating, the Secretary-General says the international system is failing when it’s needed most.
In a wide-ranging conversation, Guterres addresses the West’s retreat from multilateralism, the need to reform outdated global institutions, and why mid-sized powers are increasingly driving conflict—often with total impunity. He also discusses the UN’s dramatic internal cost-cutting push (an initiative he dubbed “UN80”) and why, despite a 15% budget reduction, he believes the organization can still become more effective.
“We are more capable,” Guterres says. “When you make the system more slim and more unified, you gain in efficiency."
GZERO World with Ian Bremmer, the award-winning weekly global affairs series, airs nationwide on US public television stations(check local listings).
New digital episodes of GZERO World are released every Monday on YouTube.Don't miss an episode: subscribe to GZERO's YouTube channel and turn on notifications (🔔). GZERO World with Ian Bremmer airs on US public television weekly - check local listings.
Watch: Global Stage live from the 80th UN General Assembly
WATCH: On the 80th anniversary of the United Nations, our panel of global experts will discuss the future of global cooperation and governance in the age of AI. How can the UN and multilateralism keep pace with a technology transforming economies, societies, and geopolitics? And what will it take to ensure no country or society is left behind in the new AI economy?
Our livestream panel discussion, "Global Stage: Live from the 80th UN General Assembly" examines these key issues today at 11:30 AM ET, live from the sidelines of UN headquarters on the first day of high-level General Debate. Watch live at gzeromedia.com/globalstage.
The discussion will be moderated by Julia Chatterley, Emmy-nominated journalist and moderator, and will feature a distinguished panel including:
- Ian Bremmer, President and Founder, Eurasia Group and GZERO Media
- Rebeca Grynspan, Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
- S Krishnan, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India
- Brad Smith, Vice Chair and President, Microsoft
- Ambassador Philip Thigo, Special Envoy for Technology for the Republic of Kenya
This livestream is the latest in the award-winning Global Stage series, a partnership between GZERO and Microsoft that examines critical issues at the intersection of technology, politics, and society.
Join us on Tuesday, September 23, 2025 at 11:30 AM ET at gzeromedia.com/globalstage to watch the discussion live.
Global Stage: Live from the 80th UN General Assembly
Graphic Truth: The BRICS+ in a "G-Zero" world
The BRICS, a loose grouping of ten “emerging market” economies led by Brazil, Russia, India and China, held their 17th annual summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, this weekend. While the official readout from the summit emphasized their commitment to multilateralism, the guestlist begged to differ. Five of the 10 leaders were no-shows, including Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
While the group’s declaration took aim at tariffs increases and recent attacks against Iran, it stopped short of mentioning the US or naming President Donald Trump directly. For more, here’s GZERO writer Willis Sparks’ explainer on why the BRICS are a bad bet.