Context: The repeated failures of the United Nations in preventing conflicts such as Ukraine, Gaza, and Sudan along with veto paralysis in the UN Security Council have raised doubts about its effectiveness in the 21st century.
Relevance of the Topic: Mains: Declining Relevance of the United Nations.
About United Nations
- The UN is a global intergovernmental organisation established by the signing of the UN Charter in 1945.
- It was established with the articulated mission to:
- maintain international peace and security
- develop friendly relations among states
- promote international cooperation
- serve as a centre for harmonising the actions of states in achieving those goals.
- It has increasingly come under criticism for its lack of effectiveness in addressing global challenges. Its decline stems from its structural flaws, financial dependence, and failure to act at the times of crises.
Reasons for Declining Relevance of the United Nations:
- Veto Paralysis of the UN Security Council: The veto power of the five permanent members (P5) USA, UK, France, Russia, and China has crippled decision-making. E.g.,
- Russia blocked UN action during its annexation of Crimea in 2014 and its 2022 Ukraine invasion, while the US has often vetoed resolutions on Palestine.
- Similar vetoes have prevented action in Syria, Sudan, Tibet, and Cold War conflicts, exposing the undemocratic nature of the system.
- Failure to Prevent Conflicts and Protect Civilians:
- The UN has been ineffective in major crises such as Ukraine, Israel-Gaza, Syria, and Sudan often reduced to passing symbolic resolutions.
- Peacekeeping missions in Rwanda (1994) and Bosnia (1990s) failed to prevent genocide and ethnic cleansing.
- The Iraq War in 2003 showed how powerful states can bypass the UN altogether.
- Selective Humanitarianism and Double Standards: The UN has intervened selectively, for instance authorising NATO in Libya (2011) but failing to rebuild the nation. Humanitarian disasters in Africa and Asia often receive inadequate global attention compared to crises in geopolitically strategic regions.
- Financial Vulnerability and Dependence:
- The UN’s financial dependence on a handful of countries, especially the United States (contributing around 22% of its regular budget), makes it vulnerable to political pressures. During the Trump presidency, proposals for an 83% cut in US foreign spending and sharp reductions in UN financing has highlighted the fragility of its funding base.
- Around 40 nations default on annual dues, while discretionary donations critical for humanitarian operations are declining. This financial fragility raises doubts about the UN’s ability to achieve ambitious goals like the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.
- Bureaucratic Inefficiency and Weak Enforcement: The UN has been criticised for being slow, bureaucratic, and ineffective in enforcement. Even agreements like the Paris Climate Accord (2015) lack strong compliance mechanisms, leaving issues like climate change and terrorism unresolved.
- Geopolitical Capture and Location Concerns: Critics argue that the UN’s headquarters in New York keeps it too close to Washington, tilting influence towards the US. Relocating or rotating UN headquarters to conflict-prone regions such as Kigali, Kyiv, or Khartoum is proposed to make the organisation more grounded in global realities.
- Crisis of Courage and Leadership: Analysts argue that the UN has lost its courage to lead, act decisively, or stand up to great powers. This leadership deficit has eroded its moral authority, leaving it as a “toothless and clawless” organization.
- Rise of Multipolar Alternatives: The growth of regional and global groupings such as G20, BRICS, SCO, AU, and ASEAN shows that states increasingly rely on other mechanisms for conflict resolution and cooperation. These platforms are often seen as more flexible and effective compared to the UN’s slow processes.
Supporters argue that despite its flaws, the UN remains necessary. As former Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld said, the UN “was not created to lead mankind to heaven but to save humanity from hell.” Without the UN, the world may be hungrier, poorer, less safe, and less sustainable.
Key Reform Suggestions for the United Nations:
- Expand Security Council membership to reflect contemporary power realities and ensure equitable regional representation.
- Restrict or suspend veto power in cases of genocide, war crimes, or humanitarian crises.
- Diversify and stabilise UN financing to reduce donor dependence and enhance budget predictability.
- Strengthen peacekeeping operations with clear mandates, adequate resources, and rapid deployment capacity.
- Consider rotation of UN headquarters to conflict-prone or Global South regions for greater legitimacy.
- Promote multilateralism by building synergy with regional platforms like G20, BRICS, and AU.
- Strengthening of enforcement mechanisms for international treaties and agreements, including climate accords and arms control regimes.
In its current form, the UN risks becoming a symbolic institution rather than an effective guardian of peace and security in the 21st century. For the UN to regain relevance, it must reform its structure, restore courage in leadership, and rebuild trust in multilateralism.