What’s at stake at UNGA 2026?

Center for Sustainable Development Center for Universal Education Center on the United States and Europe Strobe Talbott Center for Security, Strategy, and Technology

可持续发展中心 普及教育中心 美国和欧洲中心 斯特罗布·塔尔博特安全、战略和技术中心

Africa Growth Initiative Energy Security and Climate Initiative

非洲增长倡议 能源安全和气候倡议

The 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) opened this month under the theme “ Restoring trust, managing transformation: A United Nations that delivers for all .” Below, Brookings experts reflect on the theme and unpack the issues at stake.

第 81 届联合国大会 (UNGA) 本月开幕，主题是“恢复信任，管理转型：建设造福所有人的联合国”。下面，布鲁金斯学会的专家们对这一主题进行了反思，并解析了所面临的问题。

The United Nations is facing its most serious crisis since 1945, and doing so with a reduced budget and an outgoing secretary-general.

联合国正面临 1945 年以来最严重的危机，预算减少，秘书长也即将离任。

What can the 2026 U.N.

2026年联合国能做什么？

General Assembly do in “Restoring trust, managing transformation?” An often-blocked Security Council may mean a greater role for the General Assembly.

大会在“恢复信任，管理转型？”中做了什么？经常受阻的安理会可能意味着大会发挥更大的作用。

But its 193 member states make the General Assembly more representative and legitimate, but also harder to manage and predict.

但其 193 个成员国使大会更具代表性和合法性，但也更难管理和预测。

This annual September meeting is the biggest global stage for public diplomacy, while also allowing discreet bilateral meetings.

每年九月举行的会议是公共外交最大的全球舞台，同时也允许举行谨慎的双边会议。

The U.N.

联合国

is also used as a scapegoat and respectable façade: States will blame it for crises in which they are themselves involved or loudly pledge loyalty to the U.N.

也被用作替罪羊和令人尊敬的外表：各国会将其自身卷入的危机归咎于它，或大声宣誓效忠联合国。

Charter while quietly undermining it.

制定宪章的同时又悄悄地破坏它。

Ongoing conflicts will be major topics, but more through finger-pointing than problem-solving.

持续的冲突将成为主要话题，但更多的是通过相互指责而不是解决问题。

It would be timely if a clear majority of states, including the most powerful, were to make clear that they will not allow vital maritime chokepoints to be blocked or taxed at will.

如果包括最强大国家在内的绝大多数国家明确表示，他们不会允许重要的海上咽喉要道被随意封锁或征税，那将是及时的。

A real global consensus on these unprecedented threats to maritime security and freedom of navigation in vital chokepoints, with implications from energy security to food security, is urgent but far from certain.

就这些对海上安全和航行自由构成的前所未有的威胁以及从能源安全到粮食安全的影响，达成真正的全球共识刻不容缓，但还远未确定。

Another major test will be whether states take seriously the increasingly alarmed warnings by leading technologists about the dangers posed by AI and the need for a global regime—the kind of global public good the U.N.

另一个重大考验将是，各国是否认真对待领先技术专家对人工智能构成的危险以及建立全球政权的必要性（联合国所倡导的全球公共利益）日益发出的警告。

system should provide—that puts a brake on a global race to dominate this field.

系统应该提供——阻止全球主导这一领域的竞争。