International Politics of the United

Nations

Dr. Pam Shearing

pamela.shearing@kcl.ac.uk
Department of Political Economy
King’s College London
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Lecture 11: Relevance and Reform: The
future role of the UN in international
politics

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Reform – Boutros Boutros-Ghali

• Conferences on the environment, population, human rights,

women’s rights, social development
• Restructuring efforts / managerial reforms
• Agenda for Peace
• Agenda for Democratisation
• Agenda for Development
• UN Finance

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Reform – Kofi Annan
• Sought better management and coordination
across the UN
• Established Panels to look at specific issues
including UN relationship with civil society
• Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change
• Panel on System-Wide Coherence
• 2005 – ‘In Larger Freedom’ included section on
reform of the UN
• Revitalisation of the General Assembly
• Enhance the global representation within
the UN Security Council
• Economic and Social Council to play a more
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leading role in implementing UN policies
Reform – Ban Ki-Moon
• Focus on climate change – Paris
Agreement
• Focus on LGBT, increased fairness,
gender equality
• Sought to tackle poverty issues and
encouraged the work of the SDGs
• Sought better management and
coordination across the UN
• Recognised the problems of modernising
the UN comparing it to having 193 board
members each of whom consider
themselves the chairperson 5
Reform – António Guterres

• Is making sweeping changes across 3 areas:

• Development
• Management
• Peace and Security

• Initial concerns focused upon his reform lacking

engagement on human rights

• Cultural change: “With the structural aspects of

the reforms now well consolidated, it is
imperative to keep the foot on the pedal to
achieve the cultural change we need for greater
collaboration across pillars and tangible results
for people on the ground”. (UN Secretary 6

General António Guterres)

Reform – Development

• Creation of UN country teams

• UNDAF - United Nations Development Assistance Framework 
• Multi-country office review
• Revamping regional involvement
• Increased role for the Economic and Social Council
• Enhanced strategic direction, with oversight and accountability
• A new funding compact with increased transparency and
accountability
• Continued engagement with the monitoring of UN development
systems at a global, regional, and country level
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Reform – Peace and Security

• Established a Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs

and a Department of Peace Operations
• Increased diplomacy around peace
• Seeks to prevent violent conflict
• Focuses on certain priority issues with the aim of creating
greater coherence and coordination across peace and security
operations
• Concerned about the future of the peacekeeping budget

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Reform – Management

• Established two new offices tasked with reducing duplication of

UN work
• Department of Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance
• Department of Operational Support
• Consolidation of various administrative functions
• Seeking an increase in the Secretary-General’s discretionary
“working capital” fund, from $150 million to $350 million

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Reform – General Assembly
1. Enhancement of the role and authority of
the UN General Assembly
• Improving coordination with the Security
Council
• More consistent application of resolutions
• Improvements to the visibility of the UN
General Assembly within the international
community
2. Enhancement of the role of the UN General
Assembly in the election of the UN Secretary
General
3. Improvements to the working methods of
the General Assembly for all participants
4. A strengthening of the powers of the Office 10
of the President of the UN General Assembly
Reform – Secretariat
1. Election of the UN Secretary-General
2. Reform should address certain weaknesses of the
Secretariat:
• Slow and unresponsive delivery
• Fragmented management structures
• Weak performance management
• Resourcing gaps
• Lack of transparency and accountability
• Trust deficit between states and the UN
Secretariat
3. To focus the UN Secretariat on the delivery of UN
policies to people and to focus less on processes

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Reform – Security Council
1. Previous increase in membership (11
to 15 members)
2. Amendment to the UN Charter
(Article 108)
3. Need to get the support of all P5
members on reform as well as to
achieve support across the UN
membership more generally
4. Increase the number of members in
the Security Council?
5. Remove the veto power?
6. Introduce new semi-permanent seats?
7. Introduce a code of conduct for using 12
the veto?
Reform – Security Council
G4 (Japan, Envisages a Security Council with a total membership of 25,
Germany, India and including six new permanent members (Brazil, Japan, Germany,
Brazil) India and two African countries) and an additional three elected
seats.

United for Calls for a 25-member Security Council. Leaves it to the members
Consensus of each regional group to decide which Member States should sit
in those seats, and for how long. Does not seek new permanent
members.

Ezulwini Consensus Represents the Africa bloc and proposes two permanent seats
(including the right to veto) and two additional elected seats for
African states.

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Reform – Security Council: Where do we
go from here?

• A UN Security Council which is more reflective of contemporary

realities of the world?
• A more representative UN Security Council?
• A more democratic UN Security Council incorporating inclusive
decision-making?
• A UN Security Council that includes greater regional representation?

All of the above would lead to a more effective UN Security Council.

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UN Finance Reform
“…active peacekeeping missions are soon expected to face liquidity gaps due to
late payments and increasing arrears…arrears are nearing $2billion and are likely
to keep growing”.
UN Secretary General António Guterres, 2018

“Our work and our reforms are at risk.  As I introduce the 2020 programme budget
proposals, I reiterate my call on you to recommit to paying your financial obligations on
time and in full.”
UN Secretary General António Guterres, 2019

“We are being forced to operate note on the basis of strategic direction, but rather
on the availability of cash, which undermines mandate implementation.”
UN Secretary General António Guterres, 2021

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Reform - Gender Parity
Targets have been set for equal representation of women and men with specific commitments in the
following areas:
- leadership and accountability
- senior management
- recruitment and retention
- creating an enabling environment
- field operations

"Gender parity at the United Nations is an urgent need – and a personal priority. It is a moral duty and
an operational necessity.
 
“The meaningful inclusion of women in decision-making increases effectiveness and productivity,
brings new perspectives and solutions to the table, unlocks greater resources and strengthens efforts
across all the three pillars of our work. ”
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UN Secretary-General, António Guterres 
UN at 75
To mark its 75th anniversary, the UN launched the biggest-ever
global conversation on the role of global cooperation in building
the future that the world wants:

https://www.un.org/en/un75

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The Future We Want, the UN we Need
• To mark its 75th anniversary, the UN held a meeting of the UN
General Assembly on 21 September 2020 with the theme, ’The
Future We Want, the UN We Need: Reaffirming Our Collective
Commitment to Multilateralism’

• In 2020, the UN also launched a programme to listen to the world’s

citizens and to receive their feedback on the UN. Some of the key
findings included:
• Climate change and environmental issues were seen as the
dominant global challenge for the future
• 97% believed international cooperation was important for
addressing global challenges
• Many looked to the UN to lead 18
• Many also called upon the UN to innovate, to be more inclusive,
accountable, engaged and effective
Conclusion

1. Why is UN reform so difficult?

2. Where now for the UN?
3. Has the role of the UN changed since 1945? Does this mean that
reform is needed to change the UN?
4. What reforms should be prioritised to respond to the changing role
of the UN?
5. Will reform ensure that the UN has relevance to international
affairs?
6. Does the UN have a future in international affairs?

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