Effectiveness of the UN Flashcards
(22 cards)
What is the United Nations?
The United Nations ‘UN’ was created after the end of WWII, with the aim of promoting peace and achieving international cooperation between nations to solve international problems of an economic, social and humanitarian character
What are the organs of the UN to examine to establish it’s effectiveness?
-UN Security Council
-UN General Assembly
-International Court of Justice
What are arguements that the UN is effective and is NOT outdated?
-The UNSC continues to play an effective role maintaining peace and enforcing international law
-The UNGA provides a important forum for diplomatic engagement and allows the inernational community to apply pressure onto states
-The ICJ strenghtens the rule of law by providing a legal forum where states can resolve conflicts without resorting to war or violence
What are the arguemnts that the EU is INeffective and outdated?
-The UNSC is ineffective + outdated due to the permanent seat given to the P5 members (UK, US, France, China, Russia) and the veto gives them an unfair level of power, often resulting in gridlock and the inability to prevent conflict
-The UNGA has little real power and therefore isn’t able to do much, despite being the most representative of the international community
-States must consent to be under the jurisdiction if the ICJ for disputes to be heard and for rulings to be enforced. If state refuses to recognise the ICJ’s authority there are little mechanisms to ensure compliance
What is unique about the UNSC?
It is the most powerful organ of the UN due to its ablity to make legally binding decisions such as the imposition of sanctions, authorisation of the use of force, and the establishment of peacekeeping missions
Give an example of the UNSC convening qucikly to respond to global crisis
In 2006 the UN responded quickly to the news of North Korean nuclear tests by imposing sanctions designed to pressure the regime into halting it’s nuclear program. These sanctions targeted North Korea’s access to weapons, luxury goods and financial resources critical to its nuclear activites.
What was the UNSC’s role in stabilising Liberia?
In 2003 during the civil war, which saw widespread human right abuses, the UNSC passed resolution 1509, establishing the UN mission in Liberia - a peacekeeping operation tasked with stabilising the country. The mission was successful in disarming over 100000 combatants, supporting the peaceful transition to a democratic government and facilitating the reintegration of displaced persons.
What is the benefit of the veto power?
It ensures that no major power is forced into action against their will, therefore preventing the escalation and threat of a nuclear war that could occur as a result.
Give an example of the veto power being positive
in 1957, the UNSC discussed the ongoing dispute between India and Pakistan over the region of Kashmir. The US and UK supported a resolution that favoured Pakistan’s position, calling for the demilitarisation of Kashmir and a plebiscite to determine its future. However, the Soviet Union used its veto power to block the resolution, arguing that it unfairly
favoured one party and could escalate tensions between the two countries. The Soviet veto prevented what could have been a one-sided resolution from being
enforced, which might have deepened the conflict. This shows how the veto can be an effective tool for balance and preventing escalation.
What is the composition of the UNSC P5 a representation of ?
An outdated post WWII order
Give examples of states that are not represented on the Security Council
Rising powers like Brazil, India and Japan
As well as much of Africa which contributes to a large proportion of UN member states but they all lack permanent reprentation
How was the veto been used in the past to protect the P5’s own national interests
During Israel’s war in Gaza since October 2023, Israel’s military campaign has killed over 50,000 Palestinians the majority of which have been civilians and there have been
been numerous allegations of war crimes from international human rights groups such as Amnesty International.
Despite this, the UNSC has failed to pass any binding resolutions to halt the violence or hold parties accountable, due to repeated vetoes by the United States, which is a
close ally and strong military supporter of Israel.
Similar occurred when Russia’s veto prevented UNSC action to address the RussiaUkraine war and Russia’s human rights violations, as well as Bashar Al Assad’s human
rights violations for a decade in the Syrian Civil War
Describe the UNGA
The UN General Assembly (UNGA) is the main deliberative body of the United Nations, where all 193 member states are represented equally, each with one vote. The UN General Assembly’s primary purpose is to promote international cooperation on issues related to peace, security, human rights, economic development, and social progress.
What happened in the 1960 General Debate?
Cuban leader Fidel Castro famously used the 1960 General Debate to criticise U.S. foreign policy, demonstrating how the platform allows smaller or isolated nations to voice their perspectives on the global stage.
How has the UNGA been used in relation to Russia V Ukraine?
The UNGA’s emergency special session in March 2022 condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with 141 countries voting in favour of a resolution demanding an immediate withdrawal. While the resolution was non-binding, it demonstrated broad international opposition to
the invasion, isolating Russia politically and raising its diplomatic costs.
How has the UNGA been used to set a moral standard?
For instance, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), though not legally enforceable, laid the groundwork for modern human rights law and has influenced numerous international treaties and national constitutions, including the European Convention on Human Rights.
Liberals would argue that this shows the power of IGO to influence state behaviour and bring states together to takcle common goals.
How is the UNGA limited?
The main criticisms of the General Assembly is that its resolutions are non-binding. Unlike the Security Council, which can pass legally enforceable resolutions, the General
Assembly’s decisions do not carry the force of law, meaning that member states are notobligated to comply. This has led many to view the Assembly as a forum for debate rather than action, with little power to make a tangible impact on international conflicts or crises.
Give an example that highlight the lack of enforceable power of the UNGA
Resolution 73/98 was passed in 2018 ruling that Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem and the West Bank, are illegal under international law. This had no impact on the ground, however, as Israel wasn’t required to comply and the US has consistently vetoed any binding measures against Israel in the UNSC.
Describe the ICJ
The International Court of Justice (ICJ), also known as the World Court, is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, with the purpose of settling legal disputes between states and providing advisory opinions on international legal matters referred to it by the UN. This is intended to promote the peaceful resolution of international disputes and contribute to the development of international law.
Give examples of the ICJ making rulings and forcing cooperation
For example, in a territorial dispute between Costa Rica and Nicaragua over the San Juan River, the ICJ ruled in favour of Costa Rica in 2018, requiring Nicaragua to compensate for environmental damage. Both countries complied with the ruling, highlighting the Court’s role in resolving environmental and territorial issues.
Another example is the 2022 resolution of a long-standing case regarding Uganda’s military intervention in the Democratic Republic of Congo during the late 1990s.
The ICJ ordered Uganda to pay $325 million in reparations to the DRC for damages
caused by violations of international law, including human rights abuses and the illegal exploitation of natural resources. Uganda complied with the judgement and the first payment has already been made.
What are advisory opinions in the ICJ?
Rulings made in the ICJ that are non-binding e.g
In response to Ukraine’s claim of genocide, the ICJ issued an advisory opinion that ordered Russia to immediately halt its military operations in Ukraine. Despite the
ruling, Russia refused to comply, continuing its invasion, which highlighted the Court’s
inability to enforce its decisions when powerful states choose to ignore them.
Give an example of an ICJ ruling being ignored by a powerful state
This can be seen in the case between China and the Philippines in 2016. In this maritime dispute over the South China Sea, the Court ruled in favour of the Philippines, based on international law under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). China, however, refused to recognise the Court’s ruling, citing its rejection of the tribunal’s authority, demonstrating how states can simply choose not to comply with unfavourable decisions.
