Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
Global Governance - Coggle Diagram
Global Governance
United Nations
UNGA
Acts as a "parliament" to the UN, where all 193 members have an equal voice and vote. Annual meeting each year in New York.
Primary functions include:
- electing UNSC non=permanent members
- debating reports from ECOSOC and ICJ
- electing ICJ judges
Criticisms
- Decision-making is time-consuming, with every state having an equal say. With resolutions on peace and security. the UN budget and admissions of new members require 2/3 majorities
- Limittted powers, unlike the UNSC
Strengths
- Capable of decisive actions, such as the UDHR 1948 and the Millennium and then Sustainable Development Goals in 2015
- Capable of "controversial" decisions, such as the granting of non-member observer status to Palestine, despite vocal opposition from Israel.
The use of committees is effective in stream lining the work of the assembly, with smaller memberships. These then put proposals forward to the whole UNGA to vote on and debate.
Economic + Financial
E.g: 2020 Covid Pandemic Committee analysed the effect of progress on the sustainable development goals.
Social, Humanitarian and Cultural
E.g: 2020 Resolutions were put forward condemning human rights abuses in Syria, Myanmar and Iran.
-
-
UNSC
5 Permanent members (China, Russia, USA, UK, France) they have the power of veto.
10 Non-permanent members that are selected every 2 years by the UNGA.
some states are more frequently elected, often more powerful regional players, such as Brazil and Japan, that have been elected 12 and 11 times)
Positives
The UNSC has been capable of acting decisively and coming to agreement among members, having authorised over 70 peacekeeping missions across the world, including in:
- Israel-Palestine (UN's longest mission)
- Humanitarian intervention in Libya and former Yugoslavia.
- Calling for ceasefire in Libya
- Sanctions on Iran in 2005
The power of the veto ultimately is one of the reason the P5 members are still a part of the UNSC, and thus is a key feature to its success, this allows countries to protect their national interest and promote diplomacy between the Western Powers and Russia and China
Criticisms
Primary criticisms surround the veto, with the frequent use of veto limiting the work the council can do.
- The emergence of multipolarity has seen a rise in the use of the veto since 2001 most notably with China surrounding conflict in Syria and The Assad Regime.
- Russia has used its veto the most (100 times since 1945)
- UK and France haven't vetoed since 1989
Membership has been criticised as outdated, with a strong case for the addition of India to become a permanent member, in order to reflect the distribution of global power.
- Latin America and Africa are notably underrepresented?
- However increased veto could lead to further gridlock. Permanent members without veto?
UN does not have its own military, as permanent members didn't want to dilute their military strength for the UNSC. Therefore, states must be prepared to provide troops for authorised missions, or bodies such as NATO and the African Union - such as 2011 in Libya (NATO) or African Union UNSC approved mission into Somalia.
Supreme decision-making body for international crises
Most powerful branch of the UN, as the only body able to authorise military action including humanitarian intervention. Binding resolutions can also be issued, that become part of international law for all UN members to follow as well as economic sanctions
-
-