The process of reforming the United Nations (UN) has been a highly debatable issue among the international community. Since the initial signing of the UN Charter in 1945, the world has changed dramatically as the UN is trying to regulate a forum that assesses and deals with global issues while also struggling to unite all 193 member states of the UN when some states have been seen to have conflicting ideas and personal agendas (Teng, 2003, pp. 2-3). This essay is targeted to highlight what I feel are the most pressing arguments for UN reform amongst the international community. This will be done by highlighting the problems and ongoing issues surrounding the lack of representation and P5 power of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), arguing that the UNSC is out of date and controlled egotistically. This essay will also highlight the humanitarian aspect of the UN and the role it plays in meeting and solving complex global problems. This will be done by showing reform propositions in the aforementioned councils in the UN in hopes of showing how reform will be achieved.
Although the UNSC was created in 1945, there has only been one noteworthy reform in its entire 69 year establishment. This was done in 1965 as a means to expand the Security Council from 11 to 15 members as well as the required majority from seven to nine. However, this was mainly due only to the rapid addition of around 53 member-states to the UN by 1963 (Diehl, 2005, p. 450). This is interesting as there are currently 193 member states apart of the UN but there has not been a significant Security Council reform in 53 years. This is interesting since the UN charter states that the UN is based on sovereign equality for all and the Security Council main goal is ...
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...ew York: Simon & Schuster.
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The United Nations General Assembly 36-103 focused on topics of hostile relations between states and justification for international interventions. Specifically mentioned at the UNGA was the right of a state to perform an intervention on the basis of “solving outstanding international issues” and contributing to the removal of global “conflicts and interference". (Resolution 36/103, e). My paper will examine the merits of these rights, what the GA was arguing for and against, and explore relevant global events that can suggest the importance of this discussion and what it has achieved or materialized.
However, there have been many instances since the time of ratification of the charter which have borne witness to the intervention of states into the affairs of others which have called into question the power of the United Nations and the effectiveness of Article 2(4). This essay will critically analyses the efficacy of Article 2(4) and instances of interventions into the affairs of states by analyzing three recent examples. Secondly it will analyze other key factors that may contribute to, or impede against the efficacy of the Article 2(4).
United Nations. (2001). Report of the Expert Meeting On The Impact of the Reform Process in
United Nations. Charter of the United Nations. October 24, 1945. 1 UNTS XVI. http://www.un.org/en/documents/charter/chapter1.shtml (accessed December 4, 2011).
Fifty-eight years after the signing of the Charter, the world has changed dramatically. Its universal character and comprehensiveness make the United Nations a unique and indispensable forum for governments to work together to address global issues. At the same time, there remains a large gap between aspiration and real accomplishment. There have been many successes and many failures. The United Nations is a bureaucracy that struggles – understandably – in its attempt to bring together 191 countries. It must come at no surprise, therefore, that a consensus cannot always be reached with so many different competing voices.
5. The UN can be so ineffective because they do not have the power they would like to have. The United Nations have no power under the current charter to simply waltz into a countries disputes with out any permission being granted. Both countries must invite the UN in, but the Security Council must also agree with this as well. The countries involved in the Security Council must also provide the necessary manpower quickly. This takes time and hinders the UN’s power.
The UN also poses a challenge to sovereignty through the obligations required of its members. Firstly, each member is required to make both military and financial contributions in order to allow the UN to function more effectively. By making this contribution a requirement instead of an option, the UN gains partial control over the economic and military sovereignty of its members. In reality, this poses little challenge to sovereignty as membership in the UN is freely entered into by states. The same can be said about international laws and norms- a “norm” being an international standard generally adhered to by the majority of states- implemented by the UN. By enjoying sovereign equality in the UN regardless of power, states are subjected
United Nations. "Global Issues at the United Nations.." UN News Center. UN, n.d. Web. 13 Mar. 2014. .
The United Nations (UN) is an international organization that was formed after the Second World War. The main purpose of UN is to provide security and peace at the international level, resolve conflicts and protect human rights. The UN also promotes international co-operation by maintaining global social, political and economic conditions. However, it is difficult for many countries in the UN to partake in the decision-making because the UN is made up of different countries that have distinct political systems and ideologies. In the past, the UN has helped strengthen international law by developing treaties on human rights, global crime, and other topics of concern.
Understanding the significance of the UNSC is crucial for the governments and non-state actors. The international theory and law are crucial in examining the approaches taken by the UNSC in addressing the global challenges, particularly insecurity and international disputes. Specifically, the role of UNSC cannot be underestimated considering the magnitude of security threats experienced in the world. The body seeks to promote open, just and respectable relations in the globe. Further, the body has great consideration of law as the fundamental rule of conduct between nations through maintenance of justice and a careful respect for all citizens. Conceivably, there is a strong desire to avoid more conflict through amicable resolution of both the national and international disputes. The success of U...
IOs and states play a critical role in maintaining world peace and security. The United Nations (UN), in particular, is the centerpiece of global governance with respect to the maintenance of world peace. The UN provides general guidelines for all the states on how to solve potential conflicts and maintain international o...
One of the purposes of the United Nations is to “bring about by peaceful means and in conformity with the principles of justice and International Law, adjustment or settlement of International dispute or situations which might lead to a breach of the peace.”
The United Nations has made many achievements since the agreement made in 1945. The efforts of the UN helped end the apartheid in South Africa allowing the citizens of South Africa equal participation in the Elections of April 1994 followed by a consensus in choosing a form of government. 90 percent of children in developing countries attend school and 60 percent of adults in these countries can read and write thanks to the UN and the struggle to improve education in developing countries. Over 300 international treaties have been created through United Nations efforts to strengthen international law. These achievements and many others encourage people like myself to promote and praise the United Nations.
Perhaps one of the most frequently discussed topics in international relations today is the diminishing power of the nation state and subsequent growth of a global economy. Traditionally, the state is considered to play a leading role in global affairs; however, due to advances in communications technology and the expansion of international trade following the Cold War, the world has seen the establishment of an increasing number of non-state actors in global politics. The shift away from a state-centric model of international government has produced many positive changes to global politics, but has also highlighted many issues and challenges. Through examination of the role of international organizations in resolving crises, the effectiveness and legitimacy (or lack thereof) of new methods of global governance, the achievability of global governance, and the interconnectivity of states and non-state actors in regards to global affairs, it can be determined that the state is no longer the most powerful actor in global politics. Non-state actors, particularly international organizations such as the United Nations (UN) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), have become just as powerful, if not more powerful, than states.