The United Nations was set up in 1945 by the victors of the Second World War.
Structure of the United Nations
The United Nations consists of six principle organs:
- The General Assembly;
- The Security Council;
- The Economic and Social Council;
- The Trusteeship Council (not in operation today);
- The International Court of Justice;
- The Secretariat.
Organisation of the United Nations
Purpose of the United Nations
The purpose of the United Nations is to bring all nations of the world together to work for peace and development, based on the principles of justice, human dignity and the well-being of all people. It affords the opportunity for countries to balance global interdependence and national interests when addressing international problems.
Aims of the United Nations
The aims of the United Nations were stated in the United Nations Charter of June 1945:
- To keep peace throughout the world;
- To develop friendly relations between nations;
- To work together to help people live better lives, to eliminate poverty, disease and illiteracy in the world, to stop environmental destruction and to encourage respect for each other’s rights and freedoms.
- To be a centre for helping nations achieve these aims.
Principles of the United Nations
- All Member States have sovereign equality;
- All Member States must obey the Charter;
- Countries must try to settle their differences by peaceful means;
- Countries must avoid using force or threatening to use force;
- The UN may not interfere in the domestic affairs of any country;
- Countries should try to assist the United Nations.
The UN has not been very successful in peace-keeping. The Security Council has been stopped from taking firm action because of the right of veto held by permanent members and the Cold War conflict between the United States and the USSR.
Power of General Assembly
Functions and powers of the General Assembly:
- Consider and make recommendations on the general principles of cooperation for maintaining international peace and security, including disarmament;
- Discuss any question relating to international peace and security and except where a dispute or situation is currently being discussed by the Security Council, make recommendations on it;
- Discuss, with the same exception and make recommendations on any questions within the scope of the Charter or affecting the powers and functions of any organ of the United Nations;
- Initiate studies make recommendations to promote international political cooperation, the development and codification of international law, the realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms and international collaboration in the economic, social, humanitarian, cultural educational and health fields;
- Make recommendations for the peaceful settlement of any situation that might impair friendly relations among nations;
- Receive and consider reports from the Security Council and other United Nations organs;
- Consider and approve the United Nations budget and establish the financial assessments of Member States;
- Elect the non-permanent members of the Security Council and the members of other United Nations councils and organs and on the recommendation of the Security Council, appoint the Secretary-General.
Power of Security Council
When the Security Council is paralysed on a decision by veto, the General Assembly can take charge of the decision.
The functions and powers of the Security Council are:
- To maintain international peace and security in accordance with the principles and purposes of the United Nations;
- To investigate any dispute or situation with might lead to international friction;
- To recommend methods of adjusting such disputes or the terms of settlement;
- To formulate plans for the establishment of a system to regulate armaments;
- To determine the existence of a treat to the peace or act of aggression and to recommend what action should be taken;
- To call on Members to apply economic sanctions and other measures not involving the use of force to prevent or stop aggression;
- To take military action against an aggressor;
- To recommend the admission of new Members;
- To exercise the trusteeship functions of the United Nations in “strategic areas”;
- To recommend to the General Assembly the appointment of the Secretary General and, together with the Assembly, to elect the Judges of the International Court of Justice.
Role of Superpowers
The permanent powers of the United Nations are:
- United States (Superpower);
- United Kingdom;
- France;
- Russia;
- China.
United States’ role:
The United Nations was formed in the United States and was placed in New York City and the United States is the leading member.
Veto right
Veto power is wielded solely by the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (United States, United Kingdom, France, Russia and China), enabling them to prevent the adoption of any “substantive” draft Council resolution, regardless of the level of international support for the draft. The veto does not apply to procedural votes, which is significant in that the Security Council’s permanent membership can vote against a “procedural” draft resolution, without necessarily blocking its adoption by the Council.
Collective Security
This was the improvement of the original League of Nations ‘Collective Security’.
Basic assumptions:
- In an armed conflict, member nation-states will be able to agree on which nation is the aggressor;
- All member nation-states are equally committed to contain and constrain the aggression, irrespective of its source or origin;
- All member nation-states have identical freedom of action and ability to join I proceedings against the aggressor;
- The cumulative power of the cooperating members of the alliance for collective security will be adequate and sufficient to overpower the might of the aggressor;
- In the light of the threat posed by the collective might of the nations of a collective security coalition, the aggressor nation will modify its policies or if unwilling to do so, will be defeated.
Peace Making, Peacekeeping and Peace Enforcement
UN peace-making brings hostile parties to agreement through diplomatic means. The Security Council sets up UN peacekeeping operations and defines their scope and mandate in its efforts to maintain international peace and security. Most operations involve military duties, such as observing a ceasefire or establishing a buffer zone while negotiators seek a long-term solution. Others may require civilian police or other civilian personnel to help organize elections or monitor human rights. Peace enforcement is a practice of ensuring peace in an area or region. Part of the three part scale between peacekeeping and peace-making, it is sometimes considered to be the midpoint.
Role of Secretary-General
Responsibilities:
- Administrative;
- Human Resources;
- Peacekeeping;
- Meditation.
United Nations Agencies
In addition to peacekeeping, the United Nations has run a number of organisations to ensure economic and deal with a whole range of global problems. This aspect of the work of the United Nations has been more successful than its peacekeeping activities. Organisations include:
- UNESCO – the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation;
- UNICEF – the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund;
- ILO – the International Labour Organisation;
- WHO – the World Health Organisation;
- UNHCR – the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
History
The changing face of the United Nations
In the late 1940s and 1950s, the General Assembly was dominated by the United States. This began to change in the 1950s as more African and Asian colonies became independent and joined the United Nations. In 1945, there were 51 members, by 1965 there were 118. Some of the new states were sympathetic to the USSR; many others were ‘non-aligned’. It became much more difficult of the United States to dominate the General Assembly. The influence of the non-aligned countries increased in 1971 when Communist China joined the United Nations. Non-aligned countries played an increasing role in the agencies of the United Nations. In the late 1980s, the US government claimed that these agencies were anti-American.
The United Nations in Korea and the Congo
A UN army, led by the United Nations, fought the Korean War, 1950-53, against communist North Korea and Communist China. UN support for the war was only possible because the USSR was boycotting the Security Council in 1950. The UN forces drove the communists out of South Korea but were unable to conquer North Korea.
The African state of Congo (modern Zaire) was a Belgian colony. After independence in 1960, it was torn apart by civil war. A UN force was sent to bring peace to the Congo. The leader of the breakaway province of Katanga, Tshombe, defied the United Nations. The United Nations was criticized by the USSR for not doing enough. In 1961, the United Nations took a tougher line with Katanga and finally reunited the Congo in 1963.