What can the U.N. do without US funding?
Summary
Kusha Navidar hosts this episode with journalist Mark Leon Goldberg to preview the UN General Assembly, focusing on Secretary-General Guterres’s final speech and the race to succeed him. The discussion highlights top candidates Rebecca Greenfield and Caroline Rodriguez Burke, while addressing the UN’s dual role in humanitarian aid versus diplomatic stagnation. The segment also covers the impact of US funding cuts and the geopolitical tensions shaping this year’s global gatherings.
Topics discussed
Intro: UN General Assembly week and guest introduction
Explaining the 'To Save Us From Hell' podcast title and UNGA terms
Predictions for Secretary General Guterres' final speech
What Guterres might say and the limits of UN speeches
The race to succeed Guterres: candidates and selection process
The explicit campaign for the next Secretary General
Brazil and US speeches, and the 'Super Bowl of Diplomacy'
Caller question: Is the UN effective or just performative?
Distinguishing the 'UN that talks' from the 'UN that acts'
The UN in crisis: geopolitical tensions and declining efficacy
US funding, budget cuts, and the future of the UN
Closing remarks and show credits
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