The UN – Achievements and Failures (security and development)

General questions: the UN a dated institution ? Does the UN live up to its commitment to international peace and security and the promotion of “social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom” (UN charter Preamble)? Cases discussed today:The UN as a provider of peace and security- peacekeepingThe UN as a promoter of social progress- the Millennium Development Goals The future – three different scenarios

The UN – Achievements and Failures

A dated institution resting upon past- World War II values?Insufficient sources –member state contributions, the US problem for a long time The Security Council does not represent the interests of the international community as a wholeThe occurrence of unilateral intervention without UN backing Few reinforcement mechanisms (the International Criminal Court - a recent invention) The changing nature of conflict

The UN and its problems – questions to consider:

The principle of collective security key to the UN Collective Security:

1. Recognises that military power is central in IR and is likely to remain so

2. However in order to create peace and stability military power has to be contained We have to move beyond self help settle disagreements in a peaceful manner renounce military conquests (non-realist)

The UN as a provider of peace and security

Agreement on the norm of non-aggression (article 2:3). Backed up with the principle of non-intervention (article 2:7), states are not entitled to use force unilaterally (only admissible in self-defence)

Agreement to act collectively against an act of aggression (with implications for international security and peace)

Collective Security in the UN

Despite the Cold War the UN an important provider of international peacekeeping operations. Peacekeeping was not included in the original charter became one of the main instruments by which the UN could promote peace globally

Early attempts to contain violent conflict and create collective security –Peacekeeping

In a report written in the middle of the Suez Crisis in 1956, Dag Hammarskjold, the secretary general of the UN laid out the founding principles of international peacekeeping 1) consent 2) not influence the political balance between the parties 3)non-use of force except self defence 4) mission should be temporary

International Peacekeeping

Composed of military personnel whose purpose is to support and preserve the truce. police and civil personnel (civilian crisis management , civilian power, police staff, prosecutors, judges)more emphasis on civilian military relations Observers of the peace settlements member states contribute on a voluntary basis, and they share the cost – (similar to their general contributions to the UN)

Missions and national contributions

The five permanent members pay about 47 percent of the costs for each operation (2001), more than their regular payments to the UN Historically active peacekeepers: The Nordic states, Canada, India, Pakistan Nigeria, The 10 key providers of UN peacekeeping March 2007 were Pakistan (10,173), Bangladesh (9,675), India (9,471), Nepal (3,626), Jordan (3,564), Uruguay (2,583), Italy (2,539), Ghana, Nigeria and France.

Missions and national contributions

November 2005 - 107 countries were contributing more than 70,000 uniformed staff.

More recently the African Union and China active contributors

“China now has more than 1,400 soldiers serving in UN peacekeeping missions in Lebanon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia and Sudan” <http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2006-07/27/content_650881.htm>

Revitalisation of the UN; the emergence of new types of conflict, (notably in Africa and former Yugoslavia). Reduced use of veto policyInspired by the Gulf War I (the UN authorised the intervention that was led by the US and supported by 31 nations) inclusion of complex peace operations - might require peace enforcement, goes further than peacekeeping because it might involve separating the parties through brute force.Humanitarian operations became more important (Somalia, Sudan, Chad)

Peacekeeping after the Cold War

Bosnia-Herzegovina (600 Dutch peacekeepers - besieged by 2000 Serbs: ended up being helpless: the UN ineffective despite having 50,000 troops ; NATO took over Somalia (Black Hawk Down, 1993: ambitious entry; 18 US soldiers killed which led to withdrawal)Rwanda (the genocide completely neglected); Kosovo (completely sidelined by NATO)Bad conduct by peacekeepers

Failures/Problems

very different types of conflicts- intra-state wars rather than inter-state wars, Not necessarily a peace to keepThe UN a weak IO. Not like NATO with vast planning and intelligence capacitiesProblem of consent. warlords/ militia groups. Problem of remaining impartial, Humanitarian atrocities Pressure to send more troops, states engaged in various conflicts

Explanations

states should face up to their responsibilities.

Call for states to provide political support for the UN

A more realistic and modest approach

Clear mandates and backed up by credible force

Fewer operations but better defined and implemented

UN to have a robust capability and should be provided with the means to implement the mandate

The creation of a permanent UN force? Not likely.

The UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations has been reformed, a standby arrangement system helping the planning of operations

The Brahimi Report of the Panel on United Nations Peace Operations (2000)

Afghanistan –broad agreement in the Security Council that the attack on the twin towers was an act of aggression against the US and that it had the right to defend itself. Iraq, a great deal of disagreement between the US, the UK and its allies (New Europe) and Russia, China, France, Germany, Sweden amongst others. Still, in both cases the US sought approval from the Security Council.The UN is viewed as an international actor rather than a talking club.

Success of Failure –Afghanistan and Iraq

“Since their adoption by all United Nations Member States in 2000, the Millennium Declaration and the Millennium Development Goals have become a universal framework for development and a means for developing countries and their development partners to work together in pursuit of a shared future for all.

We are now at the midpoint between the adoption of the MDGs and the 2015 target date. So far, our collective record is mixed.”

Question: Why broad agreement in this field? Less controversial, not driven by power politics to the same extent or national interests narrowly defined.

<http://mdgs.un.org/unsd/mdg/Resources/Static/Products/Progress2007/UNSD_MDG_Report_2007e.pdf>

The Millennium Development Goals ReportUNITED NATIONS 2007

Goal 1: Eradicate Extreme Hunger and Poverty |

Goal 2: Achieve Universal Primary Education

Goal 3: Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women

Goal 4: Reduce Child Mortality

Goal 5: Improve Maternal Health

Millennium Development Goals

Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other diseases |

Goal 7: Ensure Environmental Sustainability

Goal 8: Develop a Global Partnership for Development

Millennium Development Goals

The proportion of people living in extreme poverty fell from nearly a third to less than one fifth between 1990 and 2004.

more children into school in the developing world.

Women’s political participation growing (slowly)

Child mortality has declined globallyMalaria control malaria expanded.The tuberculosis epidemic declining

<http://mdgs.un.org/unsd/mdg/Resources/Static/Products/Progress2007/UNSD_MDG_Report_2007e.pdf>

Some progress

Over half a million women still die each year from treatable preventable complications of pregnancy and childbirth still a major issue and cause of death “If current trends continue, the target of halving the proportion of underweight children will be missed by 2015”People dying from AIDS increased to 2.9 million in 2006 (globally)“In 2005, more than 15 million children had lost one or both parents to AIDS”“Half the population of the developing world lack basic sanitation”

<http://mdgs.un.org/unsd/mdg/Resources/Static/Products/Progress2007/UNSD_MDG_Report_2007e.pdf>

The UN and its members are

underachieving in the following areas:

“Warming of the climate is now unequivocal. Emissions of carbon dioxide, the primary contributor to global climate change, rose from 23 billion metric tons in 1990 to 29 billion metric tons in 2004”

<http://mdgs.un.org/unsd/mdg/Resources/Static/Products/Progress2007/UNSD_MDG_Report_2007e.pdf>

The enviroment

Reform of the UN and its institutions-the Security Council (widen its membership, possible members India, Germany, remember Brown’s support for India)S.B. Gareis and J. Varwick (The United Nations An Introduction, Palgrave, 2005) provide a set of scenarios that the UN might consider:

1) Downfall of the UN, marginalisation 2) World Government 3) Remains what it is, imperfect in need of reform

The way forward –the UN, is it redundant?