As world leaders gather in New York for the 81st UN General Assembly, the organisation faces wars, displacement, climate pressures and deepening geopolitical divisions.
The UN is often judged by the conflicts it has failed to stop. But its recent record also includes achievements that attract less attention - from delivering vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic to providing food and healthcare in crisis zones and bringing governments together to tackle global challenges.
The 81st session opened on 8 September, with the annual general debate beginning on 22 September. As leaders prepare to address the Assembly, here are five areas where the UN system has made a tangible difference in recent years.
The UN system played a central role in coordinating the international response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The World Health Organization (WHO) provided health guidance and international coordination, while UNICEF helped deliver vaccines to countries around the world.
The pandemic exposed major inequalities in access to healthcare and vaccines, but also demonstrated the importance of international cooperation during a global emergency.
In May 2025, WHO member states adopted the world’s first Pandemic Agreement, designed to strengthen global cooperation and improve preparedness and responses to future pandemics.
UN agencies remain a lifeline for millions of people affected by wars, disasters and other humanitarian crises.
In 2024, the UN and its partners delivered life-saving assistance and protection to more than 116 million people, providing support including food, shelter, healthcare, water and sanitation.
From Gaza and Sudan to Ukraine and Yemen, UN workers and partner organisations have continued operating despite dangerous conditions and severe funding pressures.
Behind those figures are millions of people who have lost homes, livelihoods and access to basic services.
In September 2024, UN member states adopted the Pact for the Future, setting out commitments covering peace and security, sustainable development, technology and global governance.
The agreement also includes the Global Digital Compact, a framework for international cooperation on digital technology and the governance of artificial intelligence.
The Pact cannot resolve these challenges on its own, but its adoption brought UN member states together around a set of commitments intended to strengthen international cooperation.
The UN’s Sustainable Development Goals have helped drive measurable gains since their adoption in 2015, although progress remains uneven and many targets are still off track ahead of the 2030 deadline.
According to the UN, nearly one billion people have gained access to safely managed drinking water since 2015, while 1.2 billion have gained access to safely managed sanitation.
Renewable energy capacity has also continued to expand, reaching a record 544 watts per person globally in 2024.
Despite those gains, hundreds of millions of people still lack basic services, underlining the scale of the challenge remaining before 2030.
The UN continues to use peacekeeping, mediation and political missions to try to prevent conflicts from breaking out, escalating or continuing.
In 2024, the organisation operated 11 peacekeeping missions alongside 40 special political missions and offices working on conflict prevention and resolution.
The results of such efforts are not always immediately visible. In some cases, progress can mean maintaining a ceasefire, protecting civilians, preventing further escalation or supporting communities rebuilding after conflict.
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