The article evaluates the role of the UN in the contemporary world. It demonstrates the successes and failures of the UN during its operations in different regions all over the world.
The United Nations as an intergovernmental organization has emerged since the end of the WWII as an outcome of the Yalta Conference and was intended to prevent new conflicts and to secure peace all over the globe. There are military and humanitarian operations conducted by the UN at the end of the 20th century which took place and were quite successful. However, there are a number of disputes concerning the question whether the UN is a tool for resolving conflicts or it is creating problems in the international arena, that are emerging in the contemporary world.
Indeed, today the UN demonstrates its inefficiency when it comes to the resolution of regional conflicts as well as international issues. There are a number of cases demonstrating the success and failure of the UN in conflict resolution. Thus, the efficiency of the UN will be analyzed in several conflicts that took place in the past or are continuing as of 2016.
Table of Contents
1. The role and importance of UN in XXI century: solving or creating problems?
Objectives and Topics
The primary objective of this work is to critically examine the effectiveness of the United Nations in addressing contemporary regional conflicts and international disputes, specifically questioning whether the organization serves as a viable tool for conflict resolution or contributes to the emergence of new problems. The research explores the role of UN mandates and the impact of superpower politics on mission success.
- Analysis of peacekeeping effectiveness in the Sierra Leone conflict (1991-2002).
- Evaluation of UN intervention challenges during the War in Afghanistan.
- Assessment of the UN's role as a mediator in the Syrian conflict.
- Investigation into the limitations of the UN Security Council regarding the Ukrainian Crisis.
- Critical review of the structural impact of the veto power on international law enforcement.
Excerpt from the Book
The role and importance of UN in XXI century: solving or creating problems?
The United Nations as an intergovernmental organization has emerged since the end of the WWII as an outcome of the Yalta Conference and intended to prevent new conflict and to secure peace all over the globe. There are military and humanitarian operations conducted by UN in the end of 20th century took place and were quite succesful. However, there are a number of disputes concerning the issue, whether UN is a tool for resolving the conflicts or it creates problems in international arena, are emerging in the contemporary world. Indeed, today UN demonstrates its inefficiency when it comes to the regional conflicts resolutions as well as international issues.
One of the examples where the UN succeeded could be the armed conflict in the Sierra Leone during 1991-2002. In the beginning of the war, the established Revolutionary United Front [RUF] had an intention to overthrow the existing government and when the war became more intensive it was decided to send the troops under the UN mandate known as the peacekeeping mission. The reason for that was in the inability of the government to fight against the rebels who had been keeping a number of hostages and behave as terrorists. Before the military intervention happened, the world leaders decided to find the diplomatic solution and conduct the negotiations between parties. The Lome Peace Accord has been concluded as a result of the diplomatic efforts. In accordance with that agreement, it provided provisions on DDR and the transformation of the RUF into a political party. However, the UN signed that document as the witness and reserved the right not to accept the immunity in terms of war crimes and crimes committed against humanity (Hirsch, John L. 2001). It is well-know fact that the disarmament of the RUF did not succeed and rebelians were advancing their weapons in order to continue fighting against the government not taking into consideration the concluded agreement of peace.
Summary of Chapters
The role and importance of UN in XXI century: solving or creating problems?: This chapter analyzes the historical emergence of the UN and sets the stage for investigating its operational successes and failures in modern global conflicts through case studies.
Keywords
United Nations, Peacekeeping, Conflict Resolution, Security Council, Veto Power, Sierra Leone, Afghanistan, Syrian War, Ukrainian Crisis, Humanitarian Aid, International Law, Diplomacy, Global Security, RUF, Taliban
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper fundamentally investigates the current relevance and operational effectiveness of the United Nations in the 21st century, questioning if the organization is effectively resolving global conflicts or unintentionally exacerbating them.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
The work focuses on international peacekeeping operations, the influence of major superpowers on the Security Council, humanitarian interventions, and the mediation of political crises in specific war zones.
What is the main research question?
The central question is whether the United Nations functions as a truly effective tool for resolving international conflicts or if its structural and political limitations lead to the creation of further problems in the international arena.
Which methodology is utilized in this study?
The author employs a comparative case study approach, analyzing several high-profile regional conflicts (Sierra Leone, Afghanistan, Syria, and Ukraine) to assess the practical outcomes of UN involvement.
What content is discussed in the main body?
The main body provides detailed analyses of specific peacekeeping and mediation attempts, highlighting both the successes of the UN in Sierra Leone and the significant challenges or failures encountered in Afghanistan and Ukraine.
Which keywords characterize this analysis?
The analysis is characterized by terms such as UN effectiveness, Security Council veto power, peacekeeping mandates, humanitarian crisis, and international mediation.
How does the author evaluate the UN's role in the Syrian conflict?
The author argues that the UN has shown success in coordinating humanitarian aid and acting as a mediator between opposing superpowers, which has helped reduce direct conflict tensions in the region.
Why does the author consider the veto power a major structural issue?
The author identifies the veto power held by permanent members of the Security Council as a bottleneck that blocks necessary resolutions, slows down negotiations, and prevents accountability for violations of international law.
- Quote paper
- Ruslan Vlasenko (Author), 2016, Is the UN solving or creating problems? Role and importance of the United Nations in the 21st century, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/349875
