Christopher Luxon fronts media as he opens the 'Northern Airfield Expansion' at Auckland Airport.
Video / NZ Herald
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has said “the UN needs serious reform”, just hours after US President Donald Trump questioned the purpose of the organisation in a fiery speech to the United Nations General Assembly.
Luxon spoke to reporters at Auckland Airport earlier today and was asked what he made ofTrump’s speech to the United Nations.
“It’s not language that we would use,” he said. “We believe very strongly in the international rules-based system.
“Part of that is working in a multi-lateral way with other countries. Bodies like the UN are very important, but I also agree that the UN needs serious reform, you know, and that’s something that we’ve talked about for a long time here in New Zealand as well.”
In his speech to the UN, Trump warned Western nations that they were “going to hell” because of migration and also questioned the purpose of the body itself.
“What is the purpose of the United Nations?” he asked in a speech that lasted nearly an hour.
Christopher Luxon said the UN needs serious reform following Donald Trump's speech to the organisation. Photo / Sylvie Whinray
“It has such tremendous potential but it’s not even coming close to living up to that.”
Trump criticised the UN for failing to involve itself in several wars he claims to have ended and said that all the organisation seems to do “is write a really strongly worded letter”.
There was also a claim that the UN was “funding an assault” on the West in regards to migration, something he described as an “invasion”.
Former Prime Minister Helen Clark said the United Nations is the weakest it has ever been. Photo / Sylvie Whinray
Former Prime Minister and United Nations Development Programme head Helen Clark told Herald NOW‘s Michael Morrah earlier this week that the United Nations was no longer fit for purpose and is the weakest it’s ever been.
“There’s a lot going on and even though in many ways the UN is at its weakest in 80 years, nonetheless this is still a place where people come to meet, to talk, to [conduct] dialogue and in the end that’s the essence of diplomacy and one hopes some good will come from it,” Clark said.
She also questioned the Government’s choice to delay its decision in recognising a Palestinian state, believing New Zealand looks “odd” on the world stage because of it.
“I think it will be seen as odd because New Zealand traditionally has had a pretty balanced approach on the Israel-Palestine issues.
“There’s an appreciation now that if there’s not recognition of a Palestinian state, any chance of a two-state solution becomes more and more remote.
“So countries are really rallying now to recognise a state of Palestine to give the Palestinians, you know, some hope that the international community will really tangibly back the two-state solution.”
