Jim Clarken: No government should hold the power to block progress towards peace

A reformed UN Security Council is necessary to even begin to deal with the conflicts in Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, and so many others

Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressing the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday, September 25. Russia has used its veto four times on Ukraine, despite being an aggressor in the conflict. Picture: Richard Drew/AP

This time last year, President Michael D Higgins caused some consternation when he said that the United Nations was “losing credibility”.

On Sunday, he spoke to the UN Summit of the Future, and asked all member countries to look not only at current weakness “but at those abuses of power that have consciously undermined the UN since its foundation in 1945”.