Cape Town, Nov. 21 -- Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Thursday underscored the continued relevance of the United Nations in global affairs, noting that despite its "failures" over Gaza and Ukraine, the world body remains crucial and must evolve into a more representative and effective institution as nations confront increasingly complex challenges that demand collective action.

While speaking at the 15th Desmond Tutu International Peace Lecture in Cape Town, Tharoor, who earlier served as the UN undersecretary-general, noted that stepping back from the UN would amount to giving up the common principles that unite the global community.

"As someone who served the UN for three decades from 1978-2007, I witnessed first-hand its evolution from...