The UN and some selected Regional

Organizations

Shah Rukh Hashmi, PhD

Sukkur-IBA University, Sukkur
Email: [email protected]
 The United Nations and Global
Governance
An overview of the Principle Organs’ Performance
and Evaluation
 The UN System
Founded in October 1945, with 51 founding member states
and extended to be the leading International Organization that
has universal membership for all and by now it has 193
member states at present. Both Koreas become member in
1991. Palestine is and Observer.
• The charter has 19 chapters and 111 articles.
• There have been four major amendments in the Charter
• Amendments to Articles 23(from 11 to 15), 27(Voting) and Article
61(ECOSOC form 18 to 27) of the Charter were adopted by the General
Assembly on 17 December 1963 and came into force on 31 August
1965.
• A further amendment to Article 61 was adopted by the General
Assembly on 20 December 1971(ECOSOC 54), and came into force on
24 September 1973.
• An amendment to Article 109, adopted by the General Assembly on 20
December 1965, came into force on 12 June 1968.
 Objectives of the UN
• To maintain international peace and security, and to that end: to take
effective collective measures for the prevention and removal of threats to
the peace, and for the suppression of acts of aggression or other
breaches of the peace, and to bring about by peaceful means, and in
conformity with the principles of justice and international law, adjustment
or settlement of international disputes or situations which might lead to a
breach of the peace;
• To develop friendly relations among nations based on respect for the
principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples, and to take
other appropriate measures to strengthen universal peace;
• To achieve international co-operation in solving international problems of
an economic, social, cultural, or humanitarian character, and in
promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and for
fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex,
language, or religion; and
• To be a center for harmonizing the actions of nations in the attainment of
these common ends.
 The UN General Assembly
It’s the main body of the UN. The only UN body that has
universal membership of states. ie all member states have
representation in UNGA
• Chapter IV(9-22) of the charter deals with the UNGA.
Each member can have at maximum five representative at
UNGA but only vote.
• Decision making is by simple majority of on important
issues by two-third majority. Its decision are more like
recommendations.
• UNGA elects members of the ECOSOC, Non-permanent
members of the UNSC, Judges of ICJ and Trusteeship
Council.
• It also deals with budgetary issues.
• It holds annual session in September. Additionally special
session can be called by UNGA.
 The UN Security Council
The most important organ of the UN, that has the prime
responsibility to protect International peace and security.
• Chapter V(23 to 32) deals with the UNSC functioning and
formation.
• Chapter VI(33-38) empowers UNSC for peaceful settlement
of Disputes and;
• Chapter VII (39-51) enables UNSC for actions for threat to
peace, breach of peace and act of aggression.
• It consist of 15 members (formerly 11) out of those five are
permanent members. Remaining 10 are elected by the UNGA
for the period of two years.
• Voting: 9 concurrent vote are required for procedural matters
and 9 votes with affirm vote of P5(Veto) are required for
issues pertaining to international peace and security.
• Article 39, determine the threat to peace, article 40 immediate
provision measures for parties , article 41 sanctions, blockade
and 42 use of force.
• Article 47 calls for the formation of military staff committee.
• Decision made by UNSC are binding with the application of
force and it has power to take steps against a non-binding party.
• So for, it has adopted more than 2662 resolutions. With over
300 times use of VETO by USSR-Russia, The US, The UK,
France and China( in order)
• There is visible change in use of VETO by members in
post-Cold War era. China used its veto for the first time in 1971
on Bangladesh membership.
• The Soviets used veto five times against Pakistan (1957, 1962,
1971)
• The-then USSR and now Russia used Veto at most. During cold
war number mounted to 119 times and now more. Making
almost half of the usage of veto.
 ECOSOC: Responsible for coordinating the UN’s social and economic
programs, functional commissions, and specialized agencies, its fifty-four members
are elected by the General Assembly for staggered three-year terms. This body has
been particularly active in addressing economic development and human rights
issues. Chapter-X(61-72) deals with ECOSCO, with 54 members for a period of 3
years. Each year 18 new members reelected.

SECRETARIAT : Chapter-XV(97-101). A world civil service, a record

keeping body of the UN, the Logistic and HR section headed by Secretary
General. The secretary-general of the UN is the closest thing to a “president of the
world” that exists. But the secretary-general represents member states—not the
world’s 8 billion plus people. The secretary-general is nominated by the Security
Council—requiring the consent of all five permanent members—and must be
approved by the General Assembly. The term of office is five years and may be
renewed. Past secretaries-general have come from various regions of the world, but
never from a great power. The UN has budget issues and misused of funding by the
officials. Budget is little more than 2 Billion USD.
 International Court of Justice

The principal judicial organ of the United Nations. Chapter

XIV-(92-96) deals with IJC. Its seat is at the Peace Palace in the
Hague (Netherlands). It is the only one of the six principal
organs of the United Nations not located in New York.
The Court’s role is to settle, in accordance with international
law, legal disputes submitted to it by States and to give advisory
opinions on legal questions referred to it by authorized United
Nations organs and specialized agencies.
The court is composed of 15 judges, who are elected for terms of
office of nine years by the UNGA and UNSC. Every third year
five of judges are retired and new are elected.
 Trusteeship Council
Mandate system of the League, was replaced by Trusteeship Council in 1946.
• The Trusteeship Council, one of the main organs of the United Nations,
was established under Chapter XIII of the Charter to supervise the
administration of Trust Territories and to ensure that Governments
responsible for their administration took adequate steps to prepare them
for the achievement of the Charter goals.
• The Charter authorizes the Trusteeship Council to examine and discuss
reports from the Administering Authority on the political, economic, social
and educational advancement of the peoples of Trust Territories; to
examine petitions from the Territories; and to undertake special missions
to the Territories.
• The Trusteeship Council suspended its operations on 1 November 1994, a
month after the independence of Palau, the last remaining United Nations
trust territory. By a resolution adopted on 25 May 1994, the Council
amended its rules of procedure to drop the obligation to meet annually.
• Under the Charter, the Trusteeship Council is authorized to
examine and discuss reports from the Administering
Authority on the political, economic, social and educational
advancement of the peoples of Trust Territories and, in
consultation with the Administering Authority, to examine
petitions from and undertake periodic and other special
missions to Trust Territories.
• Administering States were: AUSTRALIA , BELGIUM,
DENMARK, FRANCE, ITALY , NETHERLANDS, NEW
ZEALAND, PORTUGAL, SOUTH AFRICA, SPAIN,
UNITED KINGDOM , UNITED STATE
 UN Reforms: Management, Transparency, New
Organs and UNSC
There have been voices for reforms in the UNSC. With the rise of
Germany, Japan and several other potential aspirants for the permanent seat
the phenomenon has gain momentum. The raison d'être for this demand is to
make it more representative, reflective and democratic.
• At the 72nd United Nations (UN) General Assembly on 18 September
2017, 120 countries expressed their commitment to the reforms proposed
by UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
• Increasing UN secretariat transparency, accountability and efficiency.
• Two New Organs to me made; i) The Department of Political and
Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) will combine the strategic, political and
operational responsibilities of the current department of Political Affairs
(DPA) and the peacebuilding responsibilities of the Peacebuilding
Support Office (PBSO). ii) The Department of Peace Operations (DPO)
will serve as an integrated 'centre of excellence' for UN peace operations.
The department will be responsible for preventing, responding to and
managing international conflict. Equally, the DPO will be charged with
peace keeping within countries; in line with peace operation mandates.
 UNSC Reforms: Dreaming the unthinkable
• The G4 plans envisage a Council with a total membership of 25,
including six new permanent members (Brazil, Japan, Germany,
India and two African countries) and an additional three elected
seats.
• UfC: United for Consensus called for a 25-member Council, which
would be achieved by adding ‘no permanent members to the
Council, but would rather create new permanent seats in each
region, leaving it to the members of each regional group to decide
which Member States should sit in those seats, and for how long.
• The Ezulwini Consensus represents the Africa bloc and proposes
two permanent seats and two additional elected seats for Africa.
Under the proposal, the permanent members would be granted ‘all
the prerogatives and privileges of permanent membership including
the right to veto’.
• Instead of permanent; period of 20, 30 or 40 years. Or Permanent
seat without VETO. Turkey, Mexico, Nigeria, RoK, Indonesia
 Universal Declaration of Human Rights
• Passed and adopted by the UNGA on December 10, 1948, the
declaration has appeared to the most important documents for
freedom, liberty, fraternity and equality. It endorsees and settle
the basic parameters for human rights. Encompassing from
right to live to right to social and cultural life and more.
• The declaration consists of preamble and 30 articles.
• Other areas of UN include but may not be confine to:
Sustainable Development Agenda, MDG’s, Climate
Change, Gender Equality and Women and Girls
Empowerment, Disaster Risk Reduction and more.
Regional Organizations
 Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN)
• It was established on 8 August 1967 in
Bangkok, Thailand, with the signing of
the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok
Declaration) by Indonesia, Malaysia,
Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.
• Brunei Darussalam then joined on 7
January 1984, Viet Nam on 28 July 1995,
Lao PDR and Myanmar on 23 July 1997,
and Cambodia on 30 April 1999, making
up what is today the ten Member States
of ASEAN.
• To Promote Socio-Economic
Cooperation and regional peace and
stability .
• Its secretariat is based in Jakarta,
ASEAN Plus Three
Indonesia. • Started in 1997 and concluded
finally in 2007, ASEAN plus three
• ASEAN Community, comprises of three included members of ASEAN and
pillars, Political-Security, Economic and PR China, South Korea and Japan
Socio-Cultural Communities. for larger cooperation in the region.
Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership

Why India left RCEP?

Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership

ASEAN
ASEAN+3
CTPPP

RCEP

RCEP, ASEAN, CPTPP, BRI and More. Is US

Power is declined in the Asia Pacific?
What about QUAD?
 The United States-Mexico-Canada agreement,
or USMCA the former NAFTA
Immigration and US-Mexico
• The United States
commenced bilateral trade Border Issues
negotiations with Canada • Immigrants comprise about 14 percent of
more than 30 years ago, the U.S. population: more than forty-three
million out of a total of about 332.5
resulting in the U.S.-
million people, according to Census
Canada Free Trade Bureau data.
Agreement.
• Together, immigrants and their U.S.-born
• This entered into force on children make up about one-fourth of the
January 1, 1989. In 1991, U.S population.
bilateral talks began with • Mexican Cheap labor, Illegal immigration
Mexico, which Canada and since the time of Trump legal
joined. migration is an issue too.
• The NAFTA followed, • Central American and Mexican citizens
entering into force on enter to the US land through US-Mexico
January 1, 1994. border.
 North Atlantic Treaty Organization
(NATO)
▪ Democratic and Security Alliance, since the time of Cold War. It has 30
members , with 12 founding members; Belgium, Britain, Canada,
Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway,
Portugal and the United States. North-Macedonia is the latest member of
NATO.

▪ Greece and Turkey were admitted in 1952, West Germany in 1955 and
Spain in the year 1982. France withdraw from NATO in 1966 and re-intered
in 1995.

▪ With the fall of the Soviet Union NATO expended further by having
members from Baltic and Adriatic region and from Central European
states.
 North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
▪ Its headquarter is in Brussels,
Belgium
▪ Collective Defense clause is in
article five of the Washington
Treaty.
▪ NATO has several global
partners under different
categories.
▪ Mediterranean Dialogue
Countries
▪ Istanbul Cooperation Initiative
Countries
▪ Global partners ie Non-
NATO ally

Non-NATO ally ? Japan, Pakistan, Israel….

 European Union
A liberal project that provides a solid
precedent for Democratic Peace Thesis (DPT)
and that facilitated Free Trade, Common Visa
and Common Currency and Common Foreign
Policy on several issues.

● In 1951, six countries (Belgium, France,

Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the
Netherlands) founded the European Coal
and Steel Community.
● In 1958, this became known as the
European Economic Community (EEC), it
then turn to be the European Union by the
Maastricht Treaty, which entered into force
on November 1, 1993.
● There are seven official EU institutions,
which can be roughly grouped by their
executive, legislative, judicial, and financial
functions.
● Over the years, 22 more countries
joined the original 6.
● On 1 February 2020, the United
Kingdom left the EU, Remember
(The Brexit).
● The EU currently has 27 member
countries, and has 24 languages, 19
of members have common currency
policy ie Euro and are in Eurozone,
and 26 European countries issue
Schengen visas (as members of the
Schengen area): 22 of the 27 EU
member states, Iceland,
Liechtenstein, Norway and
Switzerland. Bulgaria, Croatia,
Cyprus and Romania – where
controls at the internal borders have
not yet been lifted – and Ireland
(not part of the Schengen area) do
not issue Schengen visas, but only
national visas.
 From “Shanghai Five” to Shanghai
Cooperation Organization (SCO)
• To tackle the challenges of ‘ Three Evils’ of separatism, extremism
and terrorism China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and
Tajikistan made this forum of Shanghai-5 in 1996.
• With the inclusion of Uzbekistan in 2001 the forum become SCO
with some advancements in agenda.
• In 2017 India and Pakistan became members and recently Iran has
joined as full member. Making the full membership to 9 states and
many observers including; Nepal, Belarus, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka,
Magnolia, etc
• To fight against the common danger of THREE EVILS is the top
most priority as the most of the members are facing such
challenges.
• The SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure established by the
member states of the Shanghai Convention to combat terrorism,
separatism and extremism of 15 June, 2001, located in Bishkek,
the Kyrgyz Republic, shall be a standing SCO body.
 Pivot to Asia, Quad Alliance, Build Back Better
World Initiative (B3WI) and More…..
▪ Japan, India, Australia,
United States
▪ An alliance of democracies
against?
▪ What is the link with Pivot
to Asia Policy?

G-7 Summit, 2021: B3WI announced.

Where the world is heading?
B3WI; Build Back Better World Initiative was
claimed in G-7 summit of 2021 in Cornwall, England
by President Biden a plan worth $40 trillion.
 Where the regionalism is heading?

• EU the most successful. Even After

Brexit?
• What about SAARC
• GCC, ECO and OIC
• SCO, CSTO and ECU
• Economic or Security Partnership
• Globalization or Isolation
 Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)
• TPP was a 2005 trade agreement ▪ Comprises of 40 percent of global economies.
between a small group of Pacific ▪ 40 percent of the United States’ trade
Rim countries comprising Brunei, ▪ Pivot to Asia policy
Chile, New Zealand, and ▪ Enhance trade, investment
Singapore. ▪ CPTPP is expected to be endorsed and
• President George W. Bush started renegotiated by the incumbent government
negotiations to join it along with of the US.
number of other states. Through a
rigorous process of talks, they
finally concluded to sign the pact
in 2016.
• The Comprehensive and
Progressive Trans-Pacific
Partnership (CPTPP) is being
continued by other states in
aftermath of Trump’s arrival in the
president office, who is believed to
be detractors of the deal.
 Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation(APEC)
• APEC has 21 member and its
Secretariat is based in Singapore. It
Established in late 1989. The APEC
cooperative process is predominantly
concerned with trade and economic
issues, with members engaging with
one another as economic entities.
• APEC’s 21 members aim to create
greater prosperity for the people of
the region by promoting balanced,
inclusive, sustainable, innovative and
secure growth and by accelerating
regional economic integration.
• With the time long range of issues is
being added and dealt through this
forum.