African countries are increasingly called upon to provide peacekeepers for conflicts on their continent, but they may be reaching the limits of their capacity.

An expanded role for the UN in Iraq could aid efforts to reach political consensus, but some UN officials and American policymakers remain skeptical.

One year into its life, the “reformed” UN body dealing with human rights faces criticism that it is as politicized and weak as its maligned predecessor.

Sudan’s acceptance of a hybrid UN/AU force in Darfur may allow diplomatic efforts to turn toward long-neglected peace negotiations, but there is little consensus on the way forward.

A dispute over the seizure of fifteen British naval personnel by Iran's government threatens to further erode relations between Tehran and the West.

Ban Ki-moon travels to the African Union summit in the hopes of convincing Sudan to accept an AU-UN force in Darfur.

New UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon faces the mammoth tasks of handling several international crises and UN reform as he takes over a job with ever-growing responsibilities.

The passage of UN sanctions marks the latest of several recent setbacks for Tehran, reflecting concern abroad about its nuclear program and internally about the government’s ability to cope with social and economic demands.

Kofi Annan remains something of an enigma as he winds up ten years in the sometimes withering global spotlight. Some say his fierce loyalty to the United Nations and international order helped maintain the UN’s relevancy. Yet time and again management mistakes appear to have undermined his goals.

The unusually public competition for secretary-general of the United Nations has narrowed to frontrunner Ban Ki-Moon, South Korea’s minister of foreign affairs and trade. But the debate continues over the role of the world’s top diplomat.

Defiance from Iran and Sudan. Anti-Bush rhetoric from the Venezuelan and Bolivian leaders. Such was the tone of the UN General Assembly's opening session. Beyond mere words, though, is a genuine concern about waning U.S. influence at a time of crucial talks on nuclear proliferation and peacekeeping.

Sudan continues to refuse a UN peacekeeping force in Darfur. As pressure to act mounts, the international community faces a question: Does its “responsibility to protect” trump Sudan’s national sovereignty?

The U.S. and Iranian presidents clashed in the spotlight at the United Nations, providing sharply different views of developments in the Middle East and underscoring the difficulties ahead in resolving the crisis over Iran’s nuclear program.

After a week of waffling, France commits a large number of troops and offers to lead the UN peacekeeping effort in Lebanon. The move is expected to clear a diplomatic logjam that delayed the deployment of peacekeepers. In the absence of a sizeable force, Kofi Annan is in the region attempting to stabilize the still-shaky cease-fire.

A cease-fire continues to hold but Lebanon could quickly descend back into violence unless a UN peacekeeping force arrives soon. Rallying such a force has not been easy.

An impotent UN Security Council and an ineffective African Union peacekeeping force have failed to alleviate the misery in Sudan's western Darfur region, where over a hundred thousand have been killed and millions of refugees are threatening security across the region.

The U.S.-Turkish relationship, a Cold War strategic fixture, shows signs of fraying. A new CFR report says Washington can help repair ties by improving dialogue on Iraqi Kurds, taking a bigger role in resolving the Cyprus dispute, and boosting Ankara's bid to join the European Union.

After a few moderate successes, the UN reform process has run into trouble over efforts to change the way the organization funds its programs. The dispute pits the UN's richest and most powerful states against a large group of developing nations.

The White House has dismissed a letter sent by President Ahmadinejad, the first formal contact between the leaders of the U.S. and Iran in over a quarter century.

Washington has waged a difficult battle to reform the UN’s chief rights body while facing challenges to its role as rights watchdog.