The Politics of Reforming the United Nations (original) (raw)
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Crisis of the United Nations Security Council
The research presents an empirical analysis of the United Nations Security Council weakness and deficiencies. The study was focused on the UN Security Council performance in the period of an international crisis or of a necessity to functionally solve an international conflict or humanitarian catastrophe. The analysis demonstrates that the UN is perceived as the primary global collective security organization to safeguard security and preserve stability in the world. Meanwhile, the UN Security Council has demonstrated deficiencies during latest important international crises to be solved by joint international effort, which almost approached current international order to a revision. The analysis demonstrated that the UN formation overcame deficiencies and weaknesses of the previous international collective security organizations – the Concert of Europe and the League of Nations. Meanwhile, the principal decision-making mechanism of the UN – Security Council with the veto right of five permanent members – periodically undermines collective security principles. Several important factors amplify this weakness: lack of common identity among the UN Security Council members, domination of the neo-realism paradigm provisions in their foreign policies, and different views on international law provisions: internal sovereignty versus necessity of humanitarian intervention. Therefore, powerful actors of international order should consider these deficiencies and launch a comprehensive reform of the UN decision making process to better react at least in international humanitarian crises. Otherwise, the UN may experience the fate of the League of Nations.
Need For the Reforms in the Unsc in the Changing Political and Economic Times
The International Institutions formed to meet the challenges of the post-WWII world are struggling to cope with the dynamics of the post-Soviet Union world order and other changing powers both in terms of economy and politics. During the last 30-35 years the world has seen massive changes. Disintegration of USSR, unilateralism of USA and in between the rise of multilateral institutions such as BRICS, NAM and a number of other institutions gaining their respective importance for playing significant role towards the world society.Now developing nations, including India, play a larger role in both the international economy and politics. But these changes are not reflected in the UN, where all critical decisions are still being taken by the veto-wielding permanent members of the Security Council. Besides, the geopolitical rivalry among the permanent members has prevented the UNSC from coming up with effective mechanisms to deal with global crises. Present paper discusses the need to reform the old structure before they become obsolete in their approach and functioning and to pave the way for the inclusion of more members
Journal International Studies, 2015
The manner in which the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is presently constituted remains the greatest challenge to the realization of the ambitions of UNSC permanent seat seekers. For the highly infl uential economic giants better known as the "middle powers"-Japan, India, Brazil, and Germany; and African leading contenders such as Nigeria, South-Africa and Egypt ambitions to yield the desired result, they must mandatorily secure the support of the UNSC Permanent fi ve veto holding members. In light of the foregoing, this paper examines the attempts to reform the UNSC since the late 1960s and the roles of the Permanent fi ve members of the UNSC such as Britain, China, France, USA and Russia regarding this endeavour. Specifi cally, it argues that the Permanent fi ve member's disposition to this issue has been the major challenge to the much desired reform of the UNSC. The UNSC is the main organ of the United Nations (UN) that is vested with powers to maintain international peace and security. Since its creation in mid 1940s, this organ has been criticized for its undemocratic nature by member states whose region are either not represented in the Security Council (SC) or under-represented.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS) ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS |Volume VIII Issue II February 2024 Page 1706 www.rsisinternational.org , 2024
The world is facing the most severe accumulation of serious international security failures in recent times. This has challenged the ability of the UNSC to effectively instill international peace and security in the globe. The numerous conflicts in the world such as in Libya, Syria, and Afghanistan, and the recent war in Ukraine, Sudan, and Gaza, have precipitated a worrisome erosion of the ability of the UNSC to instill international peace and security in the present age. The article examined the necessity of reforming the UNSC in other to improve its performance and to meet the stakes of the age. Using the qualitative research approach with the secondary data, and applying the Veto Power Theory, the study revealed that the UNSC faces serious challenges in carrying out its duty effectively. These challenges include a lack of consensus among UN Security Council members, the rise of non-state actors and terrorism, the veto power and political deadlock, lack of regional representation, limited enforcement mechanisms, global power shifts and geopolitical rivalries, prolonged conflicts, and peacekeeping. Also, the study unveiled that the challenges impeding the process of reforming the UNSC include, the veto power, political interests and geopolitics, complex reform process, and lack of consensus on reform models. The article concluded by presenting ways to reform the UNSC. This includes expanding the membership of the UNSC, reforming the veto power system of the Security Council, enhancing cooperation between the UNSC and regional organizations, and Ensuring regional representation in the UNSC membership.
Prospects and Challenges of Reforming The UN: Focus on the Veto Power in The Security Council
2015
The United Nations was created in 1945 as a global organization with a number of objectives and principles that reflect commitments ranging from the cause of international peace and security to the betterment of human life in all endeavors. The creation of the UN at that time was a remarkable achievement to the global society. Looking back at the UN's past 69 years work it is quite easy to testify that this global organization has achieved a lot in fulfilling its objectives and principles. But, from the moment of its establishment, the organization faced criticisms most of which can be classified as philosophical. Latter, critics started to focus towards its work, the implementation of the UN Charter as it is written, and also others related with the function of each subsidiary organs and the UN staffs working in these organs. Without ignoring the changes that the UN has promoted and achieved globally, the critics that focus on the remaining tasks that this organization shall accomplish are well established considering the expectation that we have towards this global institution. Additionally, the continuing change in the global geopolitical and economic realities gives a compelling reason towards the reform of this organization for the better. Even if there are critics and reform proposals calling for the reform of many of the UN organs, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is the UN organ that attracted very much serious and long time proposals of reform. Being the main organ of the UN at the core of protecting global peace and security, the UNSC has entertained too many criticisms and reform proposals towards its composition, membership, voting rights, working method and other related issues. But, among all the issues within the UNSC reform discussions, the Veto power of the permanent five of the council is the most contentious issue. Since its creation, the UNSC was reformed only once in 1965 when its membership rose from 11 to 15. The geopolitical reality that existed in 1945 justifies the structure of the UNSC as a global Collective Security organization. As the most powerful states in the time and the winners of WWII, it is quite easy to understand how the permanent five managed to create such kind of collective security organization that protects their interest with a voting privilege called the Veto Power. The rules of charter amendment in the UN Charter are also another strong protection CHAPTER ONE
JOURNAL OF “HISTORY OF SCIENCE”, 2020
The veto right of the permanent members of UN is one of the worst gaps of the SC and this power made the organization non-democratic. Permanent members use the veto power as a political weapon against each other. Permanent members, based on geopolitical interests, impede the process of resolving conflicts. As a result, double standards arise in the activities of states using the veto right to ensure their interests, and the principle of the sovereign equality of states is violated. Countries with veto power use all legal and illegal means to realize their claims, while the principles arising from the norms of international law are sometimes of secondary importance. The second, permanent and temporary members of the SC are selected according to the Cold War period’s regions. Two permanent members of the SC are the Western European states. They are Great Britain and France. Africa, Latin America and Caribbean region don’t have permanent representatives, although the second one is the second most dense continent. No any Muslim country has permanent membership right in the Security Council. The third, increase of armament, interest of selling weapons to the conflicting countries prevents the SC to fulfill its role on adjustment of conflicts. The permanent members of the Security Council have more weapons and they have interests in selling their weapons to conflicting states. Therefore, it is not helpful for them to resolve conflicts quickly. The fourth, there is inequality between numbers of members of the SC and GA. The UN has 193 members. The Security Council is represented by 15 states. Five permanent members have the veto right. Veto right restricts rights of other states. Decisions are made in the interests of permanent members.