Join the Centre for the Study of Democracy for a talk with Dr Younes Abouyoub (United Nations).
As the 81st UN General Assembly convenes under the theme, “Restoring trust, managing transformation: A United Nations that delivers for all,” it confronts a world in which the foundations of international order are increasingly strained by war, geopolitical rivalry, climate disruption, economic fragmentation, and deepening distrust in global institutions. The question is no longer simply whether multilateralism can endure, but whether it can become more representative, effective, and responsive to a multipolar world. UNGA 81 offers a moment to consider competing horizons: managed pluralism and renewed cooperation; a fragmented order of rival blocs and selective rules; or a deeper systemic rupture marked by impunity and chronic crisis. The choices made now will shape whether the UN remains primarily a forum for managing conflict – or becomes a more credible instrument for building collective security and shared global futures.
About the speaker
Younes Abouyoub, PhD, is the Director of Governance and State-Building, Governance and Conflict Prevention Division for the MENA region, United Nations. He has a long experience in issues of Governance, conflict prevention and resolution, Mediation, Peacebuilding, and Sustainable Development. Dr Abouyoub is the former head of the political office and chief of staff of the UN Under-Secretary General for Conflict Prevention and Senior political advisor to the UN Secretary General Special Envoy to Burundi. He directed the political office of the UN Secretary General Special Envoy to Yemen. Dr Abouyoub was also the senior political advisor of the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General in Libya, and former member of the UN Security Council Panel of Experts on Sudan (Darfur conflict). He worked in different capacities for the United Nations; the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (New York), the United Nations in Nairobi, the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, as well as in several other UN duty stations around the world. Younes Abouyoub holds a PhD in political sociology, an M.A. and postgraduate university degrees in Sociology, Geopolitics and Law. He has published several scholarly articles, op-eds and contributed to edited books.
Location
Westminster Forum, 5th floor, 32–38 Wells Street, London, W1T 3UW
The event will take place in person. If you have any questions, please email the seminar convener, Dr Matthew Fluck at [email protected].
About the centre
The Centre for the Study of Democracy (CSD), established in 1989, is based in the School of Social Sciences at the University of Westminster. At the Centre, academics working in politics and international relations undertake socially engaged, methodologically diverse and often interdisciplinary research that aims to address a range of critical political challenges in relation to democracy worldwide.
CSD has a longstanding international reputation for research excellence through a programme of publications, events and collaborations with academics, practitioners, policymakers, and activists. Research in Politics and International Studies at CSD was ranked 4th highest in the UK for impact in the Research Excellence Framework 2021.
The Centre has established numerous collaborations with scholars and universities around the world and has hosted encounters with public intellectuals including Luc Boltanski, Judith Butler, Stuart Hall, Bruno Latour, Richard Rorty, Quentin Skinner, Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, Charles Taylor, James Tully, and Michael Walzer. The CR Parekh lecture, instituted by Lord Bhikhu Parekh, has included lectures by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Arundhati Roy, and Ashis Nandy.
CSD recognises that responding to contemporary social and political challenges requires engagement beyond the academy, so actively welcomes dialogue and collaboration with researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and activists around the world. The Centre is directed by Professor Nitasha Kaul.
