What is the UN?

Purpose and Structure of the UN system

Assessing UN effectiveness

Constraints on the UN

What is the UN?

The UN is the world’s second attempt at creating an intergovernmental organisation to ensure world peace and to establish the economic, social and political foundations through which this can be realised. The UN currently comprises 191 member nations.

Purpose and Structure of the UN

The basic purpose of the UN is to provide a global institutional structure through which states can settle conflicts with the minimum of force. The UN Charter is based on the principles that states are equal under international law; that states have full sovereignty over their own affairs; that states should have full independence and territorial integrity; and that states should carry out their international obligations. Key institutions are the Security Council and the General Assembly. The council is tasked with ensuring global security and has 5 permanent member nations (China, France, Russia, the UK and the US). The assembly is the UN’s main forum for debate. It is the only UN body which includes representatives from all member countries. Each member country has one vote. Other significant organs are the Economic and Social Council, the Trusteeship council, the Secretariat and an International Court of Justice.

Assessing UN effectiveness

The UN has been continuously active in World Politics since 1945 and has been innovative in preventive diplomacy, peacekeeping and fact-finding missions. However, on military-security issues the UN has, at best, a mixed record. The end of the Cold War has both emphasised the relevance and limitations of this organisation in what is a radically new global context.

Constraints on UN’s collective security function

1. Political impediments – The growing size of the UN complicates the making of decisions.

2. Institutional limitations – The current demands on the services of the UN exceed the institutional capacity of the organisation.

3. Financial problems – A lack of money seriously undermines the UN’s security role. Only about 12 member nations regularly pay their membership dues on time.

Conclusion

The UN is not an entity in itself. Ultimately, it can only be as effective as member states allow it to be. The doctrine of unfettered state sovereignty remains the biggest obstacle to a more credible UN. Until the US and other major powers decide that it is in their interests to have a strong UN, it is unlikely to fulfil its international potential.