A Case For Effective United Nations

The seventy-eighth session of the United Nations General Assembly's (UNGA) annual "High-level Debate," ran through September 19-26, 2023. Though labeled as the debate, it is not interactive back and forth. After speeches close for the day, whoever wishes to exercise right of reply is allowed. The gathering of leaders in person was a return to normality after the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic in 2019. UNGA is the forum where every country presents its national policy, perspectives and positions on contemporary global issues. It is where there is sovereign equality of nations. 

US President Joe Biden was alone to show up at the 78th UNGA from among the permanent five (P-5) members of the UN Security Council (UNSC). Coming immediately after the G20 summit meeting in India, some believe there was “summit fatigue,” or other P-5 leaders considered the UNGA not worth their times. Another grouping of emerging economies and developing countries labeled as BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) in August summit in South Africa decided to expand by inviting six other countries. Nothing more exemplifies than these developments about attempts to reshape the current world order. 

SDGs agenda

The UNGA is the biggest annual event of the year. The theme chosen for this year is “rebuilding trust and reigniting global solidarity” to accelerate the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).  The Agenda has 17 goals ranging from combating climate change to eliminating hunger and poverty to achieving gender equality, and promoting social welfare. This set of goals were adopted in 2015 to realise them by 2030, after the MDGs, (Millennium Development Goals), adopted in September 2000 at the UN Millennium Summit reached their deadline. The “High Level Week” debated on how the world is doing and what more must be done to realise SDGs.  No encouraging signs of SDGs delivery seem in sights. The UN website describes SDGs to be in deep peril, with more people in extreme poverty, development reversing under the combined impacts of climate disasters, conflict, economic downturns and lingering COVID-19 effects.  

The UN institutional structure remains the same since its creation in 1945 after the World War II following the defeat of Nazism and fascism. UN reforms have not moved beyond rhetoric, let alone any progress. The structure of the UNSC does not reflect the existing geopolitical, demographic and economic realities. The Organisation has been paralysed for years and bypassed by big powers for their convenience. The primary objective of UN creation was to “save the succeeding generation from the scourge of war, reaffirm faith in the fundamental human rights in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small...” However, the original commitment of allied powers to prevent war has been shattered due to deep conflict in Ukraine involving one of the P-5 nations-Russia. 

The war in Ukraine has been deeply devastating, severely disrupting supply lines. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, attending the UNGA, warned that Russia’s invasion of his country threatened all. There are questions about relevance of multilateralism as practiced at the UN. Questions like “What good does the UN do anymore?” are often heard. Every power has bypassed and ignored the UN. Reports indicate that Iran expelled the UN’s most experienced nuclear weapons inspectors on eve of Iranian President’s visit to the UN. The UN has been worse than useless during the Ukraine conflict. Russian veto in the UNSC has blocked any serious response to the war. 

Putting all shortcomings or non-performances of individual states at the doors of  the UN and its Secretary General, often referred to as a “scapegoat” – a phrase attributed to a former Secretary General Kofi Annan – does no justice to the UN.  There were a few women speaking at the UNGA. South African President Ramaphosa, who led an all-female delegation, asked the UNGA, “Where are the women of the world?” So far, there has been no female UNSG, though women make up 44 per cent of the international staff. UN sources indicate that only four women have served as president of the UNGA. Experts estimate that if the present pace of achieving the goal of gender equality continues, it is to take nearly 300 years to realise it.  Global problems require global solutions. There is a universal endorsement of the UN. No other institutions exist in pursuit of global commons and global good. Unilateralism has proved ineffective. Multilateralism with the UN at the center seems to be the only way forward. 

Universal legitimacy 

It is the UN that has the universality, legitimacy and acceptability where sovereign states come together, share burdens, address common problems and seize opportunities. Global power is making historic transition to Asia. Geopolitical tensions and rivalries are on the rise. There is a clear distraction from pressing problems. India’s External Affairs Minister Jaishankar told the UNGA, “The days when a few nations set the agenda and expected others to fall in line are over.”  This, he added, cannot go on “indefinitely nor will it go unchallenged.” Keeping India out of the UNSC– a country of world’s 1431 million people, largest democracy, fifth largest economy and deeply pluralistic tradition, and talking of global solutions to global problems is unthinkable. The UN, with all imposed structural imperfections, represents “soft power” than “coercive hard power.” 

Nepal formally joined the United Nations in 1955. The foreign policy of Nepal, said Prime Minister B.P. Koirala, addressing the 15th UNGA, “is fully inspired by the principles and purposes of the United Nations’ Charter. We regard the United Nations not only as a bulwark of our independence and security, but also as the protector of our rights and freedom.” Over the years, Nepal’s unwavering commitment to the UN has grown even stronger and more resolute. Nepal’s participation at the highest level at the UNGA and contributions to peacekeeping missions under the aegis of the UN for the cause of global peace and security is a part of this tradition. The UN is essential to the world in which we live in.  

(Bhattarai, Ph. D., is a faculty member of the Institute of Crisis Management Studies (ICMS), Tribhuvan University. dineshbhattarai@tuicms.edu.np)