The Age · September 27, 2026

A columnist for The Age defended the UN following Milei's criticism of its staff

In an opinion column published in The Age, journalist Nicholas Kristof defended the UN’s work amid criticism from several world leaders, including Javier Milei, who recently referred to the organization’s staff using a derogatory term. The author argued that, despite the institution’s bureaucratic shortcomings, its employees risk their lives in conflict zones such as South Sudan, Yemen, and the Central African Republic to assist vulnerable populations.

The column maintained that the UN remains indispensable in the face of the proliferation of armed conflicts around the world, and contrasted the criticism from figures like Milei with the testimony of Nobel Prize winner Nadia Murad, who recounted that UN staff remain in places abandoned by others. The article also questioned the United States’ withdrawal of funding from the organization and other government decisions that, according to the author, weaken the multilateral cooperation needed to address global crises.

Via The Age