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International Reports 3/2020 Source: © Mike Segar, Reuters. Segar, © Mike Source: Multilateralism The Relevance of the United Nations in a New Era of Global Tensions Andrea Ellen Ostheimer 28 The United Nations’ effectiveness is being weakened by the gradual erosion of its foundation of liberal democratic values and the increasingly confrontational stance of major states with veto power. In many cases, the conflict between the US and China is paralysing UN diplomacy. Although the importance of the United Nations has once again been highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic, 75 years after its inception it is now time to ask what global leadership should look like. But first and foremost, it is now to call on member states and their the political will to work together. The Spirit of San Francisco no regional group, can or should expect any spe- cial privilege which harms any other nation. If The Charter of the United Nations was signed any nation would keep security for itself, it must by its founders in San Francisco on 26 June 1945. be ready and willing to share security with all. After being signed by 50 states, the Charter That is the price which each nation will have to entered into force on 24 October 1945. Above pay for world peace. Unless we are all willing to all, the spirit of San Francisco was driven by an pay that price, no organization for world peace awareness that after two devastating world wars, can accomplish its purpose. And what a reason- an architecture of peace became indispensable. able price that is!”2 US President Franklin D. Roosevelt was one of the driving forces behind the drafting of the The United Nations in the Context Charter. Roosevelt, convinced of the need to of a New Era of Global Tensions move away from zero-sum games in interna- tional relations, aimed to build a network of col- The post-war focus on the internationalisation lective security. of liberal values as a principle of multilateralism has become increasingly blurred over recent The norms established by the Charter not only years. One reason for this is the growing influ- regulated the interaction of state actors but also ence of China in the UN and the fact that it has created legal certainty and predictability. Institu- managed to find numerous allies in the G773 tions were set up to facilitate cooperation between group, particularly when it comes to limiting states in order to promote the common good. The the human rights agenda. In addition, the US’ basic premise was that countries would meet as reduced engagement from the United Nations equal partners and work together to achieve the has created a vacuum that China is about to fill. goals set out in the preamble to the Charter.1 This phenomenon is evident in the way the US has cut financial contributions to UN peace- In his address at the closing session of the UN keeping missions, withdrawn from the United Conference in San Francisco, President Harry S. Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), and, Truman summarised the conditions for ensur- most recently, not only halted funding to the ing a functioning multilateralism and a func- World Health Organisation ( WHO) but subse- tioning UN: quently begun the process of withdrawal from this specialised UN agency. “We all have to recognize – no matter how great our strength – that we must deny ourselves the The US was instrumental in establishing the license to do always as we please. No one nation, United Nations, but the success of a liberal value Multilateralism – Is the International Order Hanging by a Thread? 29 system as the foundation of multilateralism also states and particularly the permanent members depended on the US’ acceptance of this order. of the Security Council, the P5 (permanent five). The process of erosion began when the US If the United Nations is viewed merely as a plat- started moving away from these norms – or, as form for promoting national interests, rather in the case of the International Criminal Court than as a forum for jointly addressing global ( ICC), refused to submit to them at all. challenges, then it is indeed not fit for purpose and certainly not fit to accomplish the objec- One does not necessarily need to agree with tives set by its founding fathers. American political scientist Robert Kagan when he says the liberal international order is a devi- ation from history. However, he raises a legit- imate question: What are we doing to stop the centrifugal forces and dissolution of the liberal order?4 Alongside this gradual erosion of the foundation of liberal democratic values, the increasingly confrontational stance of major states with veto power in the Security Council is proving to be one of the main threats to multilateralism. Even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the conflict between the US and China was about more than just trade. In many cases, this is leading to a paralysis of UN diplomacy. The most recent example is the UN Security Council’s failure over months to adopt a resolution in the context of COVID-19 and to support the Secretary-General’s appeal for a global ceasefire in order to combat the pandemic.5 If merely viewed as a platform for promoting national interests, the UN is not fit to accomplish its original objectives. The ability to address global threats – whether they are pandemics, climate change, interna- tional terrorism, organised crime, or nuclear proliferation – is currently being hampered by nationalism, populism, isolationism, and the absence of collective solidarity. Criticism is being levelled above all at the United Nations and Security Council in this respect, as they are accused of failing. However, such failure is primarily down to the attitudes of the member 30 International Reports 3|2020 The Objectives and Principles sunt servanda. While the UN can advise and Enshrined in the UN Charter launch initiatives, the power of political decision- making lies with its members. Seventy-five years on, the UN Charter remains an important cornerstone of the rules-based One fact about the United Nations is often over- international order. However, then as now, its looked: It is more than just a multilateral, inter- effectiveness relies on the member states’ vol- governmental institution; the United Nations untary commitment to the principle of pacta is an autonomous but not entirely independent Virtual diplomacy: While the UN can advise and launch initiatives, the power of political decision-making lies with its members. Source: © Michael Kappeler, Reuters. Multilateralism – Is the International Order Hanging by a Thread? 31 actor that provides a platform for its members. UNHRC elections, it was impossible to prevent The United Nations is able to set international renewed membership of the Maduro regime in norms, provided the political will of the member Venezuela, as the Group of Latin America and states is present. However, at the same time, it Caribbean Countries ( GRULAC) initially fol- is often the implementing organisation with an lowed its tradition of consensus and complied operational mandate. to the wishes of Venezuela and Brazil, thereby nominating these two countries. This hybrid character, and the resultant ten- sions, all too often compromise the organi- Despite the Lima Group’s9 political declara- sation’s ability to act, as well as its efficiency. tions in favour of the Venezuelan opposition, no Even when the UN is perceived as an actor in one within GRULAC was prepared to question its own right, it remains dependent on the sup- the legitimacy and credibility of the Maduro port of the member states and their willingness regime on the issue of human rights. Costa Rica to take action. For example, any misconduct alone decided to run against it, and this only on the part of blue helmets soldiers during following massive civil society protests about deployment cannot be punished by the United the human rights violations committed by the Nations; this must be done by the country that Maduro regime. But this late candidature left provides the troops. Costa Rica with just one week to lobby before the election, and Venezuela was thus able to In view of limited budgets and funding, which renew its membership of the UNHRC. is frequently project-based, the scope of devel- opment interventions on the part of UN agen- cies and their sub-structures in their countries Due to a fear of endangering of operation largely depends on the priorities of development projects the the donors.6 UN tends to keep quiet about “[…] to Reaffirm Faith in Fundamental human rights violations. Human Rights.”7 In 1945, the preamble to the UN Charter laid In 2013, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon the foundation for the Universal Declaration launched the Human Rights up Front initiative of Human Rights (1948) and the corpus of con- (HRuF) to strengthen the UN’s human rights ventions and protocols that were derived from focus. The purpose of HRuF is also to break it. Through its institutions, the UN has made a down the silos that exist within the UN admin- significant contribution to the establishment of istration (i. e. peace and security; human rights; the international human rights system, but it development). So far, its record is somewhat is frequently caught up in the tensions arising mixed. In terms of the need to balance the inter- from Article 2 paragraphs (1) and (7) regarding ests of the various departments, the main crit- sovereignty of member states and the principle icism is that the UN tends to keep quiet about of non-intervention in the internal affairs of human rights violations due to fear of losing states. access for humanitarian aid or of endangering the willingness of governments to cooperate in The dynamics of the UNHRC in Geneva reflect development projects.10 how the spheres of power and influence are shifting towards China8 and the continuing sol- Ultimately, UN diplomats find themselves in a idarity of the G77 bloc.
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