The UN@70 and Beyond

“There is no single institution that I found more exhilarating at its best, yet more debilitatingly frustrating at its worst, than the United Nations...”  Gareth Evans (erstwhile foreign minister of Australia)

24th October marks the date the United Nations was called to being after the ratification of the United Nations Charter by majority of the original signatory countries inclusive of the Allied Victors from the Second World War----United States, United Kingdom, France and the Union of Socialist and Soviet Republics (USSR). As such, on this date since 1945, has been declared United Nations Day. The year 2015 marks the 70th anniversary since the world’s largest socio-political organization was formed; and same for the 70th anniversary year after the end of the Second World War.

Aircraft Acrobatic display at Beijing to commemorate the 70th Anniversary since the end of WW2
Source: bbcnews.com

 In reminiscence of this numerical feat, it calls to question for a moment of retrospect of the United Nations attainments so far.

Originally conceived 1st January 1942 when 26 Countries fighting under the aegis of the Allied forces against Axis powers decided to sign the Declaration of the United Nations, that Declaration in itself was borne out the concept of The Atlantic Charter which was a mutual charter between the United Kingdom and the United States signed 14th August 1941 aboard the USS Augusta off the coast of Newfoundland. After series of strategy meetings of the Allied powers to shape the cause of World War 2 and its apparent aftermath, the United Nations Charter was born and signed by representatives of 50 Nations on 26^th June 1945 in San Francisco, USA. The charter was subsequently ratified and adopted by majority of the signatory countries on 24th October 1945, thus, calling the United Nations Organization into being.

The 1945 feat was not the first attempt at having a global socio-political organization, as the first of such attempt was in 1899 following the International Peace Conference at The Hague which adopted the Convention for pacifist measures for International Dispute resolution, thereby calling into being the Permanent Court of Arbitration in 1902. This body played no part in stemming the protractive and contractive scourge of the First World War (1914-1918). After a gruesome four years of combative murder amongst European powers from World War one, The League of Nations was founded as a resultant of the 1919 treaty of Versailles which formally ended World War one. Though a brain child of the then US president-Woodrow Wilson as part of his Fourteen Points Plan for a peaceful Europe, the USA, adopting a policy of International isolation never became a member. With its headquarters in London, other European powers such as Germany, Italy and Russia never became committed members each joining late and leaving early. Being only an effective organization of the United Kingdom and France, The League of Nations was powerless in controlling the voracious expansionist appetite of Hitler and Mussolini, and ultimately, despite sanctions which with weak enforcement, these two fascists plunged Europe and the World into another global conflict. Thus, The League of Nations ceased to Exist.

From the horrors of two World Wars, global leaders stood up to the mantra of ‘never again’ to another global conflict. As such, it became customary for newly independent nations to seek UN membership. Comprising of over 98% percent of Sovereign states on Earth, the UN membership has surged from a paltry 51 countries at its founding in 1945, to 193 member Nations today.

“The United Nations was created not to lead mankind to heaven but to save humanity from hell”.... Dag Hammarskjöld (Third UN Secretary General)

Despite a committed action to international peace and global cooperation on matters of trade and development, the UN has seemingly become a clog in its own wheels of progress. Originally adopting a leadership structure in which the Allied Victors from World War 2 (US, UK, France, China and Russia) do not hold administrative leadership positions in the UN, yet this clique which essentially comprise the ‘veto’ votes of the United Nations Security council have by their individual or collective actions jammed any sort of progressive network collaboration the UN may achieve.

Being run with a heavy budget and bureaucratic technocrat personnel, it is sometimes bemusing to see member nations more ready to spend on expensive war efforts rather than peace initiatives. It is also harrowing to note how much heavy budget is apportioned to protracted humanitarian aid resulting from conflict situations whilst a feeble attempt is made at resolving the root cause of conflicts.

From initial success stories of international development cooperation as seen in post World War Two devastated Europe, helped to stand by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the UN has sought to build on this template by launching international development initiatives in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which is now being transited to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, threats to international peace and stability from several conflict hotbeds around the Middle East and Africa especially since 2010 has rubbished whatever strategic gains these initiatives has tangibly achieved.

Popularly identified as blue helmets, the United Nations peace keeping force having a weak mandate when deployed to conflict situations have most times been ineffective in preventing conflict escalations, genocides/Massacres especially as seen in Democratic Republic of Congo where the UN has its largest contingent force.

Overall, the UN has been a success story in forging international bonding and cooperation on sundry matters via its various agencies. On its 70th year and looking forward, it is hoped that the UN will rise above another unseeming East-West bipolarity between the USA and Russia to continually guarantee the World an avoidance of an impending Armageddon. However, this depends on the will power of the member states especially the bi-polar powers.

"The 70th anniversary of the United Nations is an opportunity to reflect – to look back on the UN’s history and take stock of its enduring achievements. It is also an opportunity to spotlight where the UN – and the international community as a whole – needs to redouble its efforts to meet current and future challenges across the three pillars of its work: peace and security, development, and human rights." - Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's message for UN70