Lanka only country to record improved UN views: Pew

Sri Lanka was the only country surveyed where public opinion of the United Nations improved, with 66% of Sri Lankans now expressing a favourable view of the world body, according to a report released by the Pew Research Center on Thursday.

The latest survey, conducted across 37 countries ahead of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly opening on September 8, found that a median of 55% of respondents had a favourable opinion of the UN, compared with 37% who viewed it unfavourably.

In Sri Lanka, the favourable rating rose to 66% from 58% in 2024, marking an eight-percentage-point increase and the only significant improvement recorded among the countries surveyed.

The survey found that views of the UN had become more negative in 10 countries since the organisation was last assessed in those countries. Nigeria recorded one of the sharpest declines, with favourable views falling from 80% in 2025 to 63% in 2026, while the Philippines recorded a 16-point decline between 2024 and 2026.

Across much of Europe, North America and the Asia-Pacific, views of the UN remained more favourable than unfavourable. India, in particular, recorded favourable views roughly twice as high as unfavourable views, although 41% of respondents did not express an opinion.

The survey also found a recurring generational divide, with younger adults in many countries more likely than older people to hold favourable views of the UN.

Israel recorded the most negative assessment, with 79% expressing an unfavourable opinion of the organisation.