The United Nations’ Public Diplomacy in Donor Countries

Principal Investigator:
Alistair Somerville, CPD Research Fellow 2023-25

In a world of seemingly continuous global shocks, how can the United Nations ensure public support for its work? What if better public diplomacy could help improve grassroots opinion about the United Nations among donor populations, in the United States and elsewhere? This project responds to the need to invest in deep-rooted public support for the UN’s work at one of the most significant inflection points since the organization’s founding. It will evaluate how the United Nations is fairing in its global communications, public outreach, and donor engagement efforts in a world of mis- and disinformation, declining trust in institutions, and immense humanitarian, development, and peace and security challenges. Through interviews with current and former UN officials, it will seek to provide constructive recommendations for the UN's efforts going forward.