ST. PETERSBURG, June 18. /TASS/. The United Nations, which turns 80 this year, is not always effective, but without it the world would plunge into chaos, Director-General of the United Nations Office in Geneva Tatiana Valovaya said during the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).

"The organization is going through a very difficult period. In general, the system of multilateral cooperation is under attack. It is not always effective where efficacy is needed, but without the UN there would be total chaos," Valovaya said.

In her opinion, it would be wrong to "measure" UN activities by the number of successful or failed peacekeeping operations, or by the number of conflicts that were prevented or allowed to happen.

"Often, we don’t see the bigger picture of humanitarian assistance, of the hundreds of millions who survive only thanks to UN assistance. We don’t see the huge contribution of peacekeepers, as many regions live in relatve peace only thanks to peacekeeping. We do not realize that practically half of all children in the world receive their necessary vaccinations thanks to the UN. We don’t see many other things," she said.

At the same time, she admitted that "when it comes to peace and security, a lot of problems have emerged."

In her words, as far as the UN reform is concerned, "political leaders need to be very vocal about it."

About SPIEF

The St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) is taking place on June 18-21. This year, the event is held under the theme "Shared Values: The Foundation of Growth in a Multipolar World."

The Roscongress Foundation is the organizer of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. TASS is its information partner.