Interview with Heba Aly of Article 109

For readers who aren’t familiar with Article 109, how would you describe your mission and the change you’re working toward?

We’re trying to move beyond rhetoric on reform of the United Nations – which both world leaders and global publics alike have called for – towards meaningful change so that our international system is more equitable and effective in responding to 21st century challenges. 

To get there, we’re advocating for the hosting of a conference to review and update the UN Charter, which is something the Charter allows for in its Article 109. We believe that if UN Member States invoked Article 109, it could deliver the change our international system needs. 

Since Article109 launched at last year’s UN General Assembly, what have been the main focus and activities for the coalition?

It’s been a busy year since we re-launched at the 80th session of the UN General Assembly! And our focus has been on building momentum for meaningful change. To date, we have raised awareness about Article 109 with more than 50% of the UN’s membership – and we’ve seen several new countries voice their support, bringing to nine the number of governments who have called for a review of the UN Charter (with many others privately expressing support). Our Coalition has also expanded to more than 100 members and partners. 

From the re-launch event at last year’s UNGA 80. Left to right: Ambassador to Switzerland and The Gambia’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva Muhammadou M.O. Kah, Former Prime Minister of New Zealand and former UNDP Administrator Helen Clark, Former Prime Minister of Belgium Alexander de Croo, Article 109 Director Heba Aly.

The coalition was again active around this year’s UN General Assembly, could you give us a quick overview of what you were involved in throughout the busy week?

It was – like it is for all those who are in Manhattan the last week of September – a busy time. 

At our annual reception, we announced our first High-Level Champions, inspiring individuals who believe in our mission. I’m proud to say that Helen Clark, former New Zealand Prime Minister, and Kumi Naidoo, South African activist and former head of Amnesty and Greenpeace, have joined our call.

We hosted closed-door conversations with government, UN, civil society, and philanthropic leaders, where we saw strong support for our cause, particularly from the governments of Barbados and Kenya. We hosted events with partners on how reviewing the UN Charter can deliver Security Council reform and country priorities for multilateralism.

And we engaged with many others – from the leading candidate for UN Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan to UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, from Amnesty International to the UN Foundation, from prospective network members to quiet allies.

Since last year’s UNGA80 – and even before then when the coalition was the UN Charter Reform Coalition – have you noticed any shifts in momentum, attention, or political interest for UN Charter reform?

Brazil, India, Japan, The Gambia, Honduras, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and South Africa have all called for renewing the UN Charter.

We have seen new organisations joining our coalition, from the Club de Madrid to the Kofi Annan Foundation to grassroots organisations from around the world, with diverse areas of focus, from AI to climate to peace and security.

We have seen many respected individuals call publicly for UN Charter reform, from former Irish President Mary Robinson to Nobel Laureate Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

And we’ve seen the topic of UN Charter reform move from the periphery to a mainstream policy option, with Member States raising Article 109 in debates linked to the selection of the next President of the general Assembly and candidates for the Security Council; and the Inter-Parliamentary Union deciding to put forward a motion on Article 109 to its membership of parliaments from around the world.

Lastly, how does the rest of the year look in the Article 109 calendar and how can people best keep in the loop with your activities and news?

The work does not stop when it comes to reimagining our international system! In October, we’ll be bringing together diplomats, government representatives, and experts in Wilton Park for a two-day retreat to build leadership around this agenda. We’ll also likely be present at the Paris Peace Forum and the Doha Forum. And we’ll be continuing to build our partnerships, policy research, and outreach.

As we advance our vision of global governance that better delivers for “We the Peoples”, follow us on LinkedIn and on our recently launched Instagram or visit the updates page on our website.