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International Organisations: Verview
International Organisations: Verview
International Organisations
OVERVIEW
In this chapter we shall discuss
the role of inter national
organisations after the collapse of
the Soviet Union. We shall
examine how, in this emerging
world, there were calls for the
restructuring of international
organisations to cope with various
new challenges including the rise
of US power. The potential reform
of the United Nations Security
Council is an interesting case of
the refor m process and its
difficulties. We then turn to India’s
involvement in the UN and its view
of Security Council reforms. The This is the United Nations’ logo. The emblem has a world map
chapter closes by asking if the UN with olive branches around it, signifying world peace.
can play any role in dealing with Credit : www.un.org
a world dominated by one
superpower. In this chapter we
also look at some other trans-
national organisations that are
playing a crucial role.
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During June 2006, Israel attacked Lebanon, saying that it was necessary to control the militant group called Hezbollah.
Large numbers of civilians were killed and many public buildings and even residential areas came under Israeli
bombardment. The UN passed a resolution on this only in August and the Israel army withdrew from the region only in
October. Both these cartoons comment on the role of the UN and its Secretary-General in this episode.
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IMF
states agree to its creation. Once Brazil (2.22%) and Saudi Arabia (2.02%) are the
created, it can help member states other major members.
resolve their problems peacefully.
International organisations are
cooperating are two different
helpful in another way. Nations
things. Nations can recognise the
can usually see that there are some
need to cooperate but cannot
things they must do together.
always agree on how best to do so,
There are issues that are so
how to share the costs of
challenging that they can only be
dealt with when everyone works cooperating, how to make sure
together. Disease is an example. that the benefits of cooperating are
Some diseases can only be justly divided, and how to ensure
eradicated if everyone in the world that others do not break their end
cooperates in inoculating or of the bargain and cheat on an
vaccinating their populations. Or agreement. An international
take global warming and organisation can help produce
its effects. As temperatures rise information and ideas about how
because of the increase in to cooperate. It can provide
greenhouse gases in the mechanisms, rules and a
atmosphere, there is a danger that bureaucracy, to help members have
sea levels will also rise, thereby more confidence that costs will be
submerging many coastal areas of shared properly, that the benefits
the world including huge cities. Of
course, each country can try to
find its own solution to the effects
of global warming. But in the end Make a list of issues or
a more effective approach is to stop problems (other than the
the warming itself. This requires at ones mentioned in the
least all of the major industrial text) that cannot be
powers to cooperate. handled by any one
Unfortunately, recognising the country and require an
need for cooperation and actually international organisation.
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1945 October 24: the UN was founded (hence October 24 is The UN was founded as a
celebrated as UN Day) successor to the League of
Nations. It was established in
1945 October 30: India joins the UN 1945 immediately after the
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Search for at Second World War. The (1995-2002) and the UN High
least one news organisation was set up through Commissioner for Refugees
item about the the signing of the United Nations (2005-2015).
Charter by 51 states. It tried to The UN consists of many
activities of
achieve what the League could not different structures and agencies.
each of the
between the two world wars. The War and peace and differences
UN agencies
UN’s objective is to prevent between member states are
mentioned on
international conflict and to discussed in the General
this page.
facilitate cooperation among Assembly as well as the Security
states. It was founded with the Council. Social and economic
hope that it would act to stop the issues are dealt with by many
conflicts between states escalating agencies including the World
into war and, if war broke out, to Health Organisation (WHO), the
limit the extent of hostilities. United Nations Development
Furthermore, since conflicts often Programme (UNDP), the United
arose from the lack of social and Nations Human Rights Commision
economic development, the UN (UNHRC), the United Nations High
was intended to bring countries Commission for Refugees (UNHCR),
together to improve the prospects the United Nations Children’s Fund
of social and economic (UNICEF), and the United Nations
development all over the world. Educational, Scientific, and
By 2011, the UN had 193 Cultural Organisation (UNESCO),
member states. These includeed among others.
almost all independent states. In
the UN General Assembly, all
REFORM OF THE UN AFTER
members have one vote each. In
the UN Security Council, there are THE COLD WAR
five permanent members. These
are: the United States, Russia, the Reform and improvement are
United Kingdom, France and fundamental to any organisation
China. These states were selected to serve the needs of a changing
as permanent members as they environment. The UN is no
were the most powerful exception. In recent years, there
immediately after the Second have been demands for reform of
Cold War or no
World War and because they the world body. However, there is
Cold War, one
constituted the victors in the War. little clarity and consensus on the
reform is needed
above all. Only The UN’s most visible public nature of reform.
democratic leaders figure, and the representative Two basic kinds of reforms face
should be allowed head, is the Secretary-General. the UN: reform of the
to represent their organisation’s structures and
The present Secretary-General is
countries in the UN.
António Guterres. He is the ninth processes; and a review of the
How can they allow
dictators to speak in
Secretary-General of the UN. He issues that fall within the
the name of the took over as the Secretary-General jurisdiction of the organisation.
people of their on 1 January 2017. He was the Almost everyone is agreed that
country? Prime Minister of Portugal both aspects of reform are
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WORLD BANK
development of legal institutions). It provides
A substantial contributor to
loans and grants to the member-countries. In
the UN budget this way, it exercises enormous influence on the
A big nation in terms of its economic policies of developing countries. It is
population often criticised for setting the economic
A nation that respects agenda of the poorer nations, attaching
democracy and human rights stringent conditions to its loans and forcing free
A country that would market reforms.
make the Council more
representative of the world’s
diversity in terms of geography,
economic systems, and culture Clearly, each of these criteria
Major contributors to the has some validity. Governments
UN regular budget for 2019 saw advantages in some criteria
and disadvantages in others
No. Member State %
depending on their interests and
1 USA 22.0
2 China 12.0 aspirations. Even if they had no
3 Japan 8.5 desire to be members themselves,
4 Germany 6.0 countries could see that the
5 UK 4.5 criteria were problematic. How big
6 France 4.4
an economic or military power did
7 Italy 3.3
8 Brazil 2.9 you have to be to qualify for
9 Canada 2.7 Security Council membership?
10 Russia 2.4 What level of budget contribution
11 Republic of Korea 2.2 would enable a state to buy its way
12 Australia 2.2
into the Council? Was a big
13 Spain 2.1
14 Turkey 1.3 population an asset or a liability
15 Netherlands 1.3 for a country trying to play a bigger
16 Mexico 1.2 role in the world? If respect for
17 Saudi Arabia 1.1 democracy and human rights was
18 Switzerland 1.1
19 Argentina 0.9
the criteria, countries with
20 Sweden 0.9 excellent records would be in line
21 India 0.8 to be members; but would they be
Source: www.un.org effective as Council members?
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Source: www.un.org
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E x e r c i s e s
4. The UN agency concerned with the safety and peaceful use of
nuclear technology is:
a. The UN Committee on Disarmament
b. International Atomic Energy Agency
c. UN International Safeguard Committee
d. None of the above
5. WTO is serving as the successor to which of the following
organisations
a. General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs
b. General Arrangement on Trade and Tariffs
c. World Health Organisation
d. UN Development Programme
6. Fill in the blanks.
a. The prime objective of the UN is ___________________________
b. The highest functionary of the UN is called_________________
c. The UN Security Council has _____ permanent and _____non-
permanent members.
d. ______________________ is the present UN Secretary-General.
7. Match the principal organs and agencies of the UN with their
functions:
1. Economic and Social Council
2. International Court of Justice
3. International Atomic Energy Agency
4. Security Council
5. UN High Commission for Refugees
6. World Trade Organisation
7. International Monetary Fund
8. General Assembly
9. World Health Organisation
10. Secretariat
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