New Delhi: The President of the United Nations General Assembly, Annalena Baerbock, on Tuesday (April 28) questioned alternative peace initiatives such as the proposed “Board of Peace”, warning that efforts to bypass the United Nations risk undermining the principle of equal participation among countries.Addressing a press conference after talks with external affairs minister S. Jaishankar, she said: “There is a reason why for international peace and security there is one organisation called United Nations.”The charter of the Board of Peace, unveiled by US President Donald Trump in January as a mechanism for a post-ceasefire Gaza, gives sweeping authority to a US-appointed chair and allows countries to secure permanent membership by contributing around $1 billion, raising concerns about it being pay-to-play model and potential duplication of the UN’s role.India had attended the inauguration of the Board as an observer.“Every country, no matter how big or small, how powerful or rich, has a seat at the table,” Baerbock said, adding that peace cannot be negotiated on the basis of financial contribution or power hierarchies.Her remarks come amid growing global strain linked to ongoing conflicts, including disruptions to critical maritime routes such as the Strait of Hormuz due to the Iran war.Referring to the economic fallout of such developments, she said blockages and attacks affecting shipping lanes are pushing up oil and fertiliser prices and impacting countries far beyond the immediate region. “What happens in one part of the world affects everyone, everywhere,” she said.The waterway has been at the centre of a standoff between Iran and the United States, after US and Israeli strikes on Iran were followed by a US blockade on Iranian oil exports, with Tehran responding by restricting shipping through the strait, disrupting tanker traffic and driving up global energy prices.Baerbock warned that the multilateral system is facing “growing geopolitical tensions, increasing fragmentation and pressure on the three pillars of the United Nations – peace and security, development and human rights”.“The Charter of the United Nations is our common life insurance,” she said, calling for renewed adherence to international law.On the wider Iran war conflict, she strongly condemned attacks on UN peacekeepers, including recent incidents in southern Lebanon in which personnel from multiple countries were killed or injured.“The secretary-general and myself strongly condemn any attacks on UN peacekeepers,” she said, stressing that their protection is a responsibility of all member states.The remarks follow a series of attacks on UNIFIL personnel in Lebanon, including an ambush earlier this month in which a French peacekeeper was killed and others injured, and separate incidents in March that left Indonesian peacekeepers dead.Responding to criticism that the UN has struggled to resolve conflicts, Baerbock acknowledged its limitations but defended its role, saying: “No single day would the world be better off without the United Nations”, citing its work in peacekeeping, humanitarian assistance and global health.She said the organisation’s preventive role often goes unrecognised, pointing to examples such as border settlements in Central Asia and peace processes supported in countries like Colombia.At the same time, she outlined the need for reform, noting that more than 40,000 mandates accumulated over decades require rationalisation.“We call for avoiding duplication … and focusing on the important points in these times,” she said, adding that efforts are also underway to streamline UN agencies and reduce administrative overheads.At the same time, she added a caution that “those who want to weaken the United Nations should not be allowed to weaponise the reform debate”.On the long-pending reform of the UN Security Council, Baerbock said discussions remain complex and member-driven, with competing proposals, including those backed by India and the African Union, still under consideration.India has been seeking to be a candidate for permanent membership in an expanded and reformed UN Security Council, but the negotiations have been bogged down by competing formulae and interests.She also highlighted the ongoing selection process for the next UN secretary-general after Antonio Guterres completes his term in December 2026, describing it as a “statement of intent” for the organisation’s future direction. She said it would be difficult to justify if a woman is not chosen, given that the post has never been held by one.During her meeting with Jaishankar, Baerbock said discussions covered the West Asia conflict, maritime security and disruptions to global trade, as well as governance challenges related to emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.She described India as a key partner in multilateralism, citing its contributions to UN peacekeeping and development cooperation, as well as its role in advancing the interests of the Global South.Baerbock is visiting India as part of a broader Asia tour and is scheduled to travel to China next.