Jordan and Norway: Defending multilateral cooperation

Safadi and Eide agreed that a well-functioning multilateral system and a world order built on international law are vital to their countries’ national interests. Multilateral cooperation is essential to uphold international peace and security, promote sustainable development and poverty reduction, and establish progressive norms on human rights, climate and environment, women’s rights and the other key issues of our time.

They also agreed that only the UN has the mandate, legitimacy and infrastructure to be the nexus of global multilateral cooperation. Currently, the UN system is being challenged by both serious funding cuts and growing geopolitical pressure that undermine the principle of multilateralism. 

In response, the Secretary General has launched the UN80 Initiative to ensure the organization evolves in line with today’s global context. The initiative involves forming bold proposals for UN system reforms to help the organization maintain its efficiency and global leadership function.

Jordan and Norway support the Secretary General’s efforts and expect bold proposals for organizational changes and innovation that will strengthen UN efficiency.

• Reforms that help maintain the role of the UN as our foremost meeting place for dialogue and global policy and decision making.
• Reforms that will make sure that the broader UN system can efficiently support the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the Pact of the Future on the ground, as well as maintain the global humanitarian system.

For reforms to be successful, they need support from the broad membership of the UN. Jordan and Norway, together with likeminded partners, will therefore reach out to countries in all regions, building cross-regional support for ambitious UN reform agenda.