the UN Flashcards
purpose of the UN
1.) maintain international peace and security
2.)develop friendly relations among nations
3.)achieve international cooperation in solving international problems
4.) be the center for harmonizing the actions of nations
UNGA
each member has one vote (193)
Most decisions by majority but 2/3 vote for key issues
Article 10 of the Charter states that the Assembly may discuss and make recommendations - therefore, not binding
Has control over the budget
UNSC
maintenance of international peace and security
- US, UK, Russia, France and China are permanent members with veto
- 10 rotating members
Decisions are binding - needs to be passed by 9/15 with no vetoes
attempt to secure ceasefires
send peacekeeping missions
arms embargo + sanctions
collective military action
UN military
UN has no army - relies on member states to deploy their military forces to UN missions (e.g. Peacekeeping) = voluntary
2024 = 81,820 UN Peacekeepers in 11 missions
2024 = Peacekeeping Budget = $6.7bn = less than 0.5% of global military spending
(HIPPO) concluded missions lacked specific equipment, intelligence, logistics, capabilities and specialized military preparation required’
UN funding
- UN is financed by member states through = dues, peacekeeping contribution and voluntary
- Dues and peacekeeping contributions from each country is determined by capacity of states
- No state can provide more than 22% of UN Funding impact US only who is at ceiling
- Minimum any state can provide is 0.001%
- US = $10bn 2016 = largest donor = 1/5th UN Budget =
- Voluntary contributions go straight to specific UN agencies based on state priorities -
When Trump became president US cut UN budget by $1.3 bn
ensuring none of $7 mil. voluntary funds to High Commission for Human Rights is spent on investigating Israel
UN israel v palestine
Israel blockade —-> humanitarian crisis in gaza strip
- 15 Nov UN SC Resolution 2712 - called for humanitarian pauses and corridors (a temporary cessation of hostilities for purely humanitarian purposes,) (abstained by US, UK and Russia)
- Brief truce b/w 24 Nov and 1 Dec
- 22 Dec 2023 - UNSC Resolution 2720 - called for increased aid for Gaza and opening of international borders for aid (US and Russia abstained)
- 25 March 2024 - UNSC passed a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire for the rest of Ramadan
(US abstained)
cosmopolitanism
Cosmopolitanism - the idea that all human beings are members of a single moral community
priorities cooperation to reach common goals and meet challenges faced by the global community
liberalism
Liberalism - global cooperation is possible if coordinated and promoted by international Institution drive by the values of rule of law, liberal democracy, human rights, justice, equality, minimally regulated capitalism, free trade and collective security
realism
Realism - the idea that global actors priorities their own interests over the needs of others, often seeking to maximise their own power to safeguard their own survival
R2P
states have the primary responsibility to protect their citizens
when they are unwilling or unable to do so > loss of sovereignty
THEN the international community, through the UN Security Council, has a responsibility, to intervene to protect civilians
principles of R2P
‘Just cause thresholds’ - there must be large scale of loss of life or ethnic cleansing
- ‘precautionary principles’ - right intention, last resort, proportional means, reasonable prospects to win
- ‘right authority’ - be authorized by the UNSC
- ‘operational principles’ - clear objectives, common approach, limited force, appropriate rules of engagement and coordination with humanitarian agencies
case study R2P Myanmar
abuses committed by the military since the coup (1St Feb 2021) may amount to crimes against humanity and war
3 mil in need of humanitarian assistance
the only formal UNSC response to the Rohingya genocide in 2017 was a statement that stressed the ‘primary responsibility of the Myanmar government to protect is population’
Since Feb 2021 coup - the UNSC has met 12 times on issue of Myanmar + adopted 10 statements BUT taken no substantiative action
no draft resolution
June 2021 - UNGA passed a resolution calling on all governments to suspend arm sales to Myanmar + US, UK, and EU have issued unilateral sanctions
The Gambia has initiated a trial through the ICJ (UN Court) accursing Myanmar of being in breach of the Genocide Convention (case is ongoing)
Peacekeepers
both sides must agree to peacekeeping
*UN has not established a new peacekeeping mission since 2014
lack of resources led t no peacekeeping in 2018 Yemen conflict
US financial support for peacekeeping dropped 40% from 2015 to 2018
SDG
2015 SDGs enshrined - 17 goals. w/ 169 targets > to be achieved by 2030 = adopted by all 193 member states
SDG funding
The Economist estimated that achieving SDGs will require about US$2-3 trillion per year for 15 years
funding meeting in July 2015 at Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) included recommitment to UN target of aid spending as 0.7% of GNIs
- In 2019 - Turkey, Luxembourg, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and United Kingdom- met or exceeded a UN target for ODA of 0.7% of gross national income (6)
COVID-19, making the achievement of Goals even more challenging.
