UN reports at a crossroads
Global diplomacy stands at a crossroads where the value of countless UN reports is weighed against the urgent need for decisive action and negotiation.
As world leaders gather in New York for the UN General Assembly, an unusual but timely question is being raised. In his recent blog, ‘Should the United Nations continue writing reports?’, Jovan Kurbalija argues that while some reports are vital, such as those exposing the role of tech companies in conflict zones, many have become little more than bureaucratic rituals with limited impact.
The UN Secretary-General himself has voiced concerns that the endless production of papers risks overshadowing the organisation’s true mission. The debate reveals two opposing views.
On one side, critics say reports distract from the UN’s core purpose of convening nations, negotiating compromises, and resolving crises. They point to history, such as the failed Treaty of Versailles, to warn that diplomacy loses its strength when buried under data and ‘scientific’ prescriptions.
Reports, they argue, cannot prevent wars or build trust without political will. Worse still, the drafting process is often more about avoiding offence than telling the truth, blurring the line between reporting and negotiation.
Defenders, however, insist that UN reports remain essential. They provide legitimacy, establish a shared baseline of facts, and create informal spaces for diplomacy even before formal talks begin.
During deep geopolitical divides and mistrust in institutions, independent UN analysis could be one of the few remaining tools to anchor global debates. While AI is increasingly capable of churning out facts and summaries, Kurbalija notes that human insight is still needed to read between the lines and grasp nuance.
The way forward, he suggests, is not to abandon reports altogether but to make them fewer, sharper, and more focused on action. Instead of endless PDFs, the UN should channel its energy back into mediation, dialogue, and the intricate craft of diplomacy. In a world drowning in information but starving for wisdom, reports should illuminate choices, not replace the art of negotiation.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!