Hans von Sponeck: Liberating the United Nations | The InnerView

Hans von Sponeck is a German Diplomat and former UN Assistant Secretary-General who believes the United Nations is no longer able to fulfill its mandate. Von Sponeck's opinion of the global body is informed by his personal experience working within it at the highest levels: he also served as the UN humanitarian coordinator for Iraq before resigning in 2000, in protest against the UN sanctions regime and its impact on the country's civilian population. On this episode of The InnerView, von Sponeck talks to Imran Garda about his resignation from the UN, and why he believes the organization is in a worse state than when he left it. Von Sponeck discusses the reasons why the global body is unable to sufficiently address a growing number of conflicts and humanitarian crises worldwide, from Gaza to Ukraine. He also discusses power struggles within the Security Council, the urgent need for reform, and opens up about his own family’s complicated past.