People walk outside the United Nations headquarters in New York on March 18, 2025. © Reuters
_Akan Rakhmetullin is the first deputy minister of foreign affairs of Kazakhstan._
In a period of global upheaval, where geopolitical tensions continue to escalate, the principles of multilateralism are being tested like never before. Critics argue that the United Nations, once the cornerstone of global cooperation, is struggling to address the world's most pressing challenges. However, abandoning the U.N. is not the solution. We must invest in strengthening and modernizing multilateral institutions, making them more responsive to regional needs while ensuring that global cooperation remains at the heart of sustainable development and conflict resolution.