CAPS Working
Paper No.050603
Assessing the
need for Reform of the United Nations System:
A Research Note
By:
Muyanja Ssenyonga[1]
Center for
2005
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Table of
Contents |
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Abstract |
1 |
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I. |
Introduction |
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II. |
Lessons learned from
the |
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III. |
The United nations system |
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IV. |
The bumpy ride for the United nations system |
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V. |
Calls for Reforms: Are they nothing more than pipe dreams? |
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VI. |
Expanding the UN Security council: A glance at the scorecard of contending bigwigs |
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VII. |
Conclusion and the formidable task ahead |
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Reference |
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Abstract
The note attempts
to evaluate the performance of the United Nations system. By carrying out an
exploration of the main functions of the major UN specialized agencies on a
case-by-case basis, which facilitates the identification of the breakthroughs
made by the respective agency, the obstacles encountered, and prospects for
improvement. The note considers the
immense UN contribution to social, economic, cultural, and political,
development of the World. The note
highlights the problem of coordinating a cacophony of decentralized specialized
agencies by the economic and Social Council, and the domineering powers of the five members
having seats on the powerful Security Council.
Fears expressed by skeptics that globalization will serve as medium to
mitigate resistance from developing
countries against rules on worker’s conditions economic liberalization continue
to dog the UN, rather than wane. Reforms are deemed necessary both on the
specialized agency level as well as at the United Nations administrative and
Security Council level. The good will of the participating countries in the United
Nations system is presented crucial determinant of the success or otherwise of
the multinational body. As the focus
of the World community shifts from WTO talks to UN reforms, the article makes
some humble contributions about which aspects of the UN must undergo reforms,
singling out the expansion of the UN Security Council as deserving serious
attention. Prospective candidates (which by no means is an exhaustive one) are
dealt with on a case-by-case basis, showing the strength and weaknesses of each.
The opinion on the criteria deemed a sine quo anon for
an effective UN Security Council seat are streamlined, with no intention
whatsoever to influence the reader in his judgment on which of the candidate(s) deserve such a seat of profound
importance both for the country in question and the geopolitical region it will
represent. An argument to base United
Nations security council membership on regional, rather than national framework
is put forward if not to follow the current trend in economics and politics, at
least to empower all UN security members, as well as prevent abuse of the
vested powers of permanent UN seat members by the members.
Key Words:
United Nations; veto power, Security Council
I. Introduction
To say that the
United Nations system is under fire is a gross understatement. The past few
years have seen the UN divided in the middle. Five members on the security
council (United nations equivalent of board of governors have yet to resolve
their bickering that seriously divided the executive arm of UN over the issue
of Iraq (Britain and United States in full support while France, Russia, China,
taking various degrees of opposition). Another issue that has tainted the
60-year-old multinational organization has been the poor execution of the oil for food
program under which
Doubtless,
in bid to restore its credibility, the UN system has the unenviable task of
putting its house in order, efforts that should not ensure the survival of the
UN system for another six decades, but also widen the scope, and intensity of
its operations.
Surprisingly
the measures to re-orient the Un system commenced some five years ago, when,
contrary to norm, the United nations, in collaboration with Organization of
economic cooperation and development, OECD, international monetary fund, and
the world bank, jointly launched the millennium goals with the underlying aim
of making the world a better place for millions living under abject poverty. On
June 26, 2000, four international Organizations jointly launched “A better
World for All” report. Included in the four organizations was the UN (United
Nations Organizations; OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and
Development); IBRD (International Bank for Reconstruction and Development); and
the IMF (International Monetary Fund). The report’s main theme is the issue of
poverty alleviation and eventual eradication. Focusing on the fate of 1.2
Billion people the World over with less than $ 1.2 a day plus an additional 1.6
billion living on less than $ 2 a day, the report addresses several aspects of
poverty through seven “mutually reinforcing goals”. The goals encompass;
reducing the proportion of people living in extreme poverty by the year 2015;
Enroll all children in primary school by 2015; make progress towards gender
equality and empowering women by eliminating gender disparities in primary and
secondary education by 2005; reduce infant and child mortality rates by
two-thirds by 2015; reduce maternal mortality ratios by three-quarters by 2015;
provide access for all who need reproductive health services by 2015; and
implement national strategies for sustainable development by 2005 so as to
reverse the loss of environmental resources by 2015. The report came at a time
when despite increases in income in the 1990s, which saw some reductions in
poverty especially in East Asia, there were areas of the World where there was
hardly any significant improvement either due to lack of growth such as
Sub-Saharan Africa or high income iniquity as was the case in Latin America.
Moreover,
one of the main means of poverty reduction available to the poor education,
though registered rising enrollment rates, at the prevailing rates, there were
fears that more than 100 Million school-age children will be out of school in
2015, hence the pace had to be hastened somewhat. It is an established fact the
education of girls still lags that of boys in many developing countries, thus
it was felt that more effort was necessary to reduce gender disparities
further. High infant and child mortality rates constitute a significant hurdle
to the availability of school going children of both genders. As the report
poignantly puts it… “For every country that cut infant and under-5 child mortality
rates fast enough to reach the goal, 10 lagged behind -and another one moved
backwards, often because of HIV-AIDS”. It was thus felt necessary to enhance
the drive in the direction of infant and child mortality reduction by putting
the issue into the spotlight for all countries of the World.
The
slow improvement in the proportion of births attended to by skilled personnel
in the 1990s, meant that not much dent was made into the more than a half
million maternal deaths occurring each year. It was therefore deemed it
pertinent to highlight the issue of increasing the number of skilled personnel
during pregnancy and delivery which saving many mothers and their infants will
accelerate the pace towards a Better World for all .The goal of poverty
reduction can hardly be attained without putting brakes on the rate of births,
generally high in poor countries. By increasing access to reproductive health
services, it is expected that the demand for contraceptive use, the provision
of which should be well streamlined.
Considering
the fact that it is generally the poor that depends heavily and directly on the
environment, and realizing that commitments made at Rio 1992 earth Summit were
not more than mere scripts on scraps of paper, with fewer than a half of
the signatories considered it worth while to implement them, environmental
deterioration picked up pace thanks to increasing population and economic
growth, the only way poverty reduction could be sustained was by adopting
national sustainable development strategies with clear-cut environmental goals.
The goals set by the four organizations
reflects the seriousness the international community regards poverty as an
issue the eradication of which will ensure dignity for many in despair,
availability of shelter for many without homes, enhance political influence for
many currently taken as pawns in other peoples’ political games, ample
education to the gullible following anything that moves without strength of
mind to make decision son their own, sufficient health care for the
malnourished, and regular income for many of the hapless relying on elements of nature for a
living. Setting goals. Noble as they may sound, is one thing; but as anybody
acknowledges, their implementation is quite another thing altogether.
Being set by international organizations,
the goals “…cannot be imposed-they must
be embraced. Each country must identify its own particular goals, its path to
development, and make its won commitment through dialogue with its citizens”
says the report. Additionally support both technical and financial has to be
made available by the international community to aid the effort. It is thus
expected that high income countries have to take an extra mile in their
allocating a little more of their wealth to the poor countries if the better
World for all is to be realized. In that light, therefore the performance of
the international agencies and organizations will determine whether the well
laid out goals will be translated into reality, assuming that high income countries
buy the idea of increasing their contributions for development assistance.
It is deemed pertinent to explore the issue
of the United Nations track record by focusing on some key special agencies in
the United Nations system, after all three out of the four signatories of A better World for all 2000 report
-United nations, The World Bank, and IMF beelong to the UN system, while the
fourth OECD though not directly under the United Nations umbrella usually works
in association with United nations. There is an underlying notion that the
noble goals can only be attained by a nobly performing United Nations system,
which sets the course for the articles’ research question: Is Restructuring the
UN system necessary? And if so which components of the system should undergo
fundamental restructuring? The second
section considers the importance of lessons learned from UN predecessor, the
II. Lessons Learned from the League of Nations
Established
in 1919, at the
A brief review of some of the factors
leading to its demise should provide a good launching pad for the underlying
theme of this article’s discussion: Is their need for restructuring the UN? The
most pivotal factor for the League of Nations was the non-accession of the
In
as much as one of the key powers in the ally system that helped to defeat the
Germans, Austrians, and Turks was outside the league it was difficult to
countenance strong performance from the organization.
Many war
skirmishes with hardly sufficient means to counter left the
It was difficult to carry out the leagues’
mandate, as it was voluntary on the members. Sanctions as it turned out were
very ineffective and belligerent countries realized the nonexistence of any
impediment in their way to launch new forays into their neighbor’s territories.
The League of Nations did not stop Mussolini’s
Perhaps lack of an armed force to enforce
compliance of the member country that violated the covenants with the
Yet the main weakness of the
It is in order in order to avoid a
recurrence of the
III. The United Nations System
The United Nations system, which according
to Hufner (1995) is “the totality of the United nations and its subcomponents
as well as specialized agencies”, has contributed much to the economic and
social development of many countries.
Through, the World Bank, one of the UN
specialized agencies, whose tasks include; the encouragement of collaboration
and mutual development, development of production facilities in less developed
countries, promotion of private foreign investment activity through guarantees
or participation of daughter organizations like IFC, IDA, MIGA, UNITAR; much
headway has been made in facilitating the inflow of capital from capital
exporting to capital deficient countries with consequent impetus to economic
development. It is moreover through the coordinating services of the IBRD that
consortia, advisory groups, or informal organizations are put in motion, which
facilitates the flow of development assistance to recipient countries.
Additionally, IBRD acting as the leader of a series of projects specialized
agencies such as UNIDO and ILO conducts sectoral analyses of technical
financial aspects of reform projects especially in the developing World. It is
such analyses that ensure that development projects are as sound economically
as they are socially and environmentally sustainable.
It is no longer disputable that one of the
outstanding performances of the United Nations system has been its relief work.
The UN through its specialized agencies such as UNICEF, UNHCR, WFP, UNDRO, and
HABITAT provides the leadership and coordination of efforts made by the
international community to help countries affected by emergencies, irrespective
of whether they are a consequence of natural or man-made disasters.
Yet the foregoing pales into insignificance
if the role-played by the IBRD in construction of the worldwide financial and
economic and social administration is put into the spotlight. The IBRD has
served as a role model for the development of many regional development Banks
in developing countries; runs the ICSID, which arbitrates disputes involving
states and nationals of different countries; through MIGA, it promotes the flow
of investment for productive activities with in member countries by mediating
information on investment possibilities, covering non-commercial investment
risks in the form of transfer risks, risks of denial of legal protection, and
risk of war and civil conflict. No doubt, the World Bank has become one of the
most prestigious and renowned UN agencies.
The IMF, the
International Monetary Fund, obliges its members Ruwert (1995) to comply
with a code of conduct in the field of International monetary relations as well
as mutual assistance in overcoming temporary balance of payments disequilibria.
Enshrined in the core of its establishment, the IMF is supposed to avoid the
economically and socially damaging “beggar your neighbor” policies pursued by
most countries in the interwar period late 1920s to late 1930s in which each
country carried out exchange rate devaluation of its currency with the narrow
view that by so doing it would out compete other countries with strong
currencies in the international market. Obviously other countries did the same
thing with dire consequences to the World Economy.
Thus, one of the fundamental functions of IMF was to
promote International monetary cooperation through an institutionalized
machinery of consultation and coordination. The above function was to be
supplemented others in the form of: facilitate the balanced growth of
international trade, which in turn is meant to contribute to high levels of
employment and real income, and development of the productive resources of all
members; promote exchange stability, maintain orderly exchange arrangements,
and avoid competitive exchange rate devaluations; assist in the establishment
of a multilateral system of payments for the benefit of World trade; and make
available financial resources for countries in balance of payments difficulties
.
One of the
United Nations agencies with strong inclination towards promoting trade and
development over the past 36 years is UNCTAD, the United Nations Conference on
Trade and Development. It is a permanent intergovernmental body of the United
Nations General assembly focusing on attempts at securing an integrated
treatment of development and interrelated issues in the areas of trade,
finance, technology, investment, and sustainable development. The body employs
research, policy analysis, intergovernmental deliberations, technical
cooperation and interaction with civil society and the business sector to attain
the cherished goals of maximizing trade, investment, and development
opportunities for developing countries, as well as helping such countries to
face challenges arising from globalization and integration into the World
economy on an equal footing with the developed countries. Its importance
therefore seems to have soared during phases of the
Boasting as
one of the largest UN organizations, FAO, Food and Agricultural Organizations,
was given the mandate to raise levels of nutrition and standards of living,
improve agricultural productivity and better the conditions of rural
populations. Through direct development assistance, FAO “… collects, analyzes, and disseminates
information; provides policy and planning advice to governments; as well as
acting as an international forum for debate on food and agricultural issues”,
enables the organization to promote agricultural development, which by and
large, enhances the effectiveness of its efforts in the war against poverty and
hunger.
Additionally,
FAO by encouraging programs that “… do
not degrade the environment, are technically appropriate, economically viable
and socially acceptable” the organization considers as a front-runner in the
promotion of sustainable agriculture and rural development. This is thanks to
the organization’s active involvement in land and water development, plant and
animal production, forestry, and fisheries.
Besides,
the Food and Agriculture organization, is also involved in areas such as
economic and social, policy, investment, nutrition, food standards,
commodities, trade, as well as emergencies which puts the organization as a key
and indispensable partner in development related issues with developing
countries. This arises from the fact the organization’s jurisdiction covers the
length and breadth of issues that are crucial for developing economies.
FAO
assisted developing countries in preparing for multilateral trade negotiations
by providing the requisite information and technical assistance which was
supposed to strengthen their bargaining position in the negotiations to attain
as many benefits as possible.
FAO has
also been an outstanding player in equipping the developing countries with
technical capacity to enable them to pursue, develop and implement sustainable
productive systems. Technical assistance in fields of normative studies and
policy advice, working with farmers and rural communities, provide informed
opinion on trade related issues, food security, training in national food
control systems, food safety issues, and expert advice on gender policy
development.
One
shouldn’t underestimate the role of FAO in the development of rural finance
systems the source of agricultural finance for millions of rural farmers in the
developing World. With the adoption of realistic rates of interest,
mobilization of local savings as an integral part of rural financial
intermediation, and the promotion of variety in financial intermediaries
including formal and less formal institutions, as underlying principles FAO encourages
the development of agricultural finance institutions in developing countries.
This is executed by supporting
developing country efforts in the “…areas of financial policies and
institutional structures, operational procedures, and training, with special
emphasis on less advantaged people in rural areas”, according to FAO.
In that line FAO has gone further to promote
the development of mechanisms that ensure the
safety of savings deposits, the cornerstone for savers confidence in any
financial intermediary’s soundness. By initiating the ‘Safeguarding Savings
Deposits’ programme, the organization attempted to address the safety of
depositors money issue by drawing on the findings from an analysis of
experience on the safety of depositors’ savings in recognized banks,
cooperatives, investment groups, and ROSCAS (rotating saving and credit
associations) over time in developed and developing countries, to foster the
development of guidelines and training materials, essential for grass roots
rural financial intermediaries.
Realizing
the problem of lack of collateral in rural settings, FAO initiated a programme,
which according to FAO, is meant to “design methods for removing some of the
main constraints, and/or for permitting existing collateral to be used more
effectively”. Alternative ways for securing loans less affluent customers were
also considered.
With the
view to improve the efficiency and better customer service of operational
procedures, automation of rural finance operations hasn’t escaped the attention
of this enormous organization. By developing the FAO Micro banking low-cost
software system, the carrying out of various internal checks and a series of
management reports could not be any easier. This system was meant to boost the
effectiveness as well as the efficiency of the front office by accelerating the
speed of transactions, thereby reducing the cost. FAO is runs regional
agricultural credit associations (RACAS), which provide financial services to
small farmers and the rural people. With one center for Asia, Africa, Near East
and North Africa and intensive collaboration with (ALIDE), the association of
Development Finance Institutions in
IFAD, with
aims not so different from those of its sister organization FAO, has the
mission of eliminating hunger and poverty, enhance food security, raise
productivity and incomes, and improve the quality of life through improved
access to productive resources and empowerment; it can be asserted that the
organization apparently complements the activities of FAO.
One should not underrate the services
rendered by the ILO, the International Labor Organization, another
specialized agency of the United Nations. Established with the task “of
securing an equal footing for competitors, by way of agreements based on
international law concerning generally accepted minimum standards for labor
protection and working conditions”, the ILO is aimed at “creating such
conditions which are necessary that human beings, irrespective of race, creed,
or sex, can pursue both material well-being and through spiritual development
in conditions of freedom and dignity, of economic security and equal
opportunity by improvement of working and living conditions of the employed,
activation of human labor resources, development and strengthening of the
workers’ organizations by providing technical assistance to the states,
international gathering and distributing information, and through international
conventions and recommendations” Kohler (1995). The role that ILO plays in the
lives of workers and employers alike is thus very profound. Arbitrary
compensation for work is liable to scrutiny, discrimination on work is ground
for ILO probe, and inhuman living and working conditions for workers receive
ILO attention. This sounds good news to everybody, for good working conditions
enhance worker’s efficiency, which in turn translates into higher and better
quality output for the employer, and high value output of course yields high
tax returns for the government.
The calls for a new transformed United
Nations picked pace by the turn of the last century and apparently the
beginning of the new one seems to take such incessant demands to unprecedented
proportions. The motivations for such calls seem to be as diverse as one would
expect of a body representing well over 200 nations large and small, rich and
poor, developed and developing, communist and capitalist, monarchies and
republics the World over. It shouldn’t be out of order to delve into some of
the factors serving as drivers to prepare the ground for “take-off” into the
fuzzy essence of the issue-the merits and otherwise of the prospective candidates
for new seats once such reforms as championed for, are made.
To most people in the developing World the
importance of the United Nations is associated with the activities of one of
its specialized agencies- the United Nations Commission for refugees UNHCR.
This obviously arises from the more than proportionate share of catastrophes,
man-made and otherwise that like or not, enmesh the UN body into the thick of
things in the third World. From its involvement in evacuating refugees freeing
from carnage, wars, and persecution in their homelands to lending a hand in
resettling displaced persons from one part of the country to the other, freeing
natural disasters in form of floods, and famine. UNHCR had been able to bring
back smiles to the hitherto desperate and disillusioned faces in the developing
World. Relief is the apt word for UNHCR.
The work of the United Nations system is an
International body that ensures the maintenance of World peace and order and
the re-establishment of semblance of sanity in areas where “the darkness of
man’s heart” drive man into fierce battles and wars, both with in and outside
national borders. Through its affiliated agencies it is meant to encourage
development in health, education, trade, agriculture, Industry, through WHO, UNESCO,
UNCTAD, FAO and IFAD, and UNIDO respectively. The UN is also expected to ensure
safe and clean environment, through UNEP; bring solace to war and conflict
dislocated peoples, and assist countries manage their populations through
UNHCR, WFP and UNDRO, UNFPA; prevent the proliferation nuclear energy and the
attendant weapons through IAEA; prevent the trade and trafficking in drugs
through UNDCP; ensure the development of standards and guidelines on
telecommunications through ITU; coordinate the national mail services through
UPU; develop guideline on national and international maritime policy through
IMO; coordinate information on weather
and climate issues through WMO; and provide
multi-faceted expert advice on
national development policies through UNDP.
Yet this is just the tip of the iceberg of
the immense role played by the United Nations body. The essence of the
foregoing is to indicate the importance the UN has in the World today, which is
one reason why eyebrows are raised whenever indications of emerging
“disproportionate” influence by some member countries are discerned. It is on
that line of argument that takes this discussion to the factors responsible for
calls for changes in not only the United Nations administration but the very
core of the UN system itself.
By all accounts the most remarkable
achievement by the United Nations system is attributed to the establishment of
the world trade organization WTO. The world trade organization which came into
force in January 1995 in the wake of a sufficient number of states ratifying
the final
The WTO charter by tying together the
various texts developed in the
Adherence to WTO rules is bound to increase
import competition which will not only
stimulate technological change, but will reduce monopoly power by
forcing domestic firms to produce at higher capacity utilizations than before,
setting pace for higher efficiency. Moreover, it is expected that shocks to
economies in form economic liberalization will increase productivity Cline (1995). The removal of all current
distortions is estimated to generate economic gains to the tune of $213 billion
annually. These gains are expected to come from cuts on tariffs on agricultural
products, $190 billion, and manufactured products $19 bullion. GATT made
estimates of increase in the level of World trade in the wake of WTO amounting
to $745 billion in 2002, coming from 60 per cent clothing, 34 per cent
textiles, 20 per cent agriculture and 19 per cent in processed foods and
beverages.
It is expected that with the onset of WTO, the potential for
the evolution and development of an institutional structure conducive to
international trade cooperation will be realized
IV. The bumpy ride for the UN system
The World
Bank: Are funded projects fraught with leakages and beckon environmental
disasters?
Yet despite the commendable and impressive
work of the UN system, it hasn’t escaped the wrath of many elements of our
society in developing as well as developed countries. Criticisms are leveled
against one of United Nations specialized agencies, the World Bank. In
conducting its financial, economic and social development, the IBRD generally
regards the opinion of the ruling government as representative of the wishes of
the people, with the consequence that multi-billion dollar projects are put
agreed upon and later funded by the World Bank later to be rejected by the
local population.
Typical of such projects are Mega projects
such as hydroelectric power stations where enormous resources are injected
ostensibly to improve the lot of the local people, with those dislocated in the course of their
construction inclusive. Possibly fresh in the minds of many is the
controversial Petroleum project in Chad-Cameroon Oil Pipe line project estimated
to cost $3.7 billion to be funded by the World Bank. This is inspire of
protests from environmental groups as it is feared to contaminate beautiful
landscapes in the Sahel, aggravate the already slash-and-burn pock-marked
rainforest in the south by providing the much needed access roads to illegal
loggers, as well as possible Oil spills, and the traumatic displacement of
rainforest dependent 100,000 Pygmies to strange environments, Bowis (2001)
If the kind of some of the projects funded
is disputable, the firms involved in their executions invite even far more
criticism. Despite the fact that most projects are executed in developing
countries, rarely, if at all, are developing countries’ firms called to tender
for the projects. This implies that most materials, manpower and money end up
in having multiple effects in developed countries. This is not to mention the
impact of projects designs by firms with hardly sufficient knowledge on the
local social and climatic conditions. And of course that doesn’t augur well for
the integration of such projects in the respective domestic economies. Thus
calls for reforms in the tendering mechanism as well as on the decision on of
the type and kind of projects funded by the World Bank is in the air.
The high level of leakage of funds in World
Bank funded projects is another black spot in the Organization’s operations. As
a multilateral organization with indisputable reputation backed by many decades
of experience in development oriented projects, the bank should be in a better
position than most to ensure that the projects funded are handled in the most
effective and efficient manner. This is so, if statistics from some researchers
is anything to go by. It is for example revealed by Independent sources that
quite a good number of World Bank funded projects in
Strong though it is, the criticism leveled
against the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, IBRD, is
mere accolades compared with the barrage mounted against its sister
organization, the International Monetary Fund.
a. IMF: Does extreme focus on monetary stabilization jeopardize economic
growth/development?
Important as its functions are no doubt IMF
has received the most consistent and one would say vehement criticism of all UN
specialized agencies.
In carrying out its economic restructuring
operations deemed necessary in many countries in the perils of balance of
payments disequilibria, it is common practice for IMF to prescribe structural
adjustment programs Killick (1995). This may entail among others, re-orientating
the domestic economy from relying on subsidies and high customs tariffs to free
market forces, irrespective of the immense vulnerabilities such economies have,
which leads to reductions on health as well as education, and retrenchment of
the civil service; reduction of all barriers to trade; and rollbacks of the
government in economic activities and instead encouraging the private sector to
do the job.
In most cases, developing countries, argue,
such prescriptions, do not take sufficient consideration of developing
countries, structural deficiencies as reflected in the expectation that
developing countries can improve on their economies’ efficiency by undertaking
genuine privatization before the onset of democratic reforms, which is hardly
probable, the expectation that governments can make cutbacks in expenditure on
health and education, when the state is the provider of such services to many
poor people in the third World doesn’t improve the image of IMF in the eyes of
developing country nationals.
Moreover, such far-reaching expenditure
reductions are also prescribed for the defense establishment, which of course
hasn’t been welcome to the Army top brass with consequent ouster of many such
compliant governments to IMF, dictates Killick et al. (1992). Some critics even
go as far as regarding the monetarist approach on conditionality adopted by IMF
as too short run in orientation with minimal consideration for the long term
sustainability of the target economies Killick (1996), Harrigan (1996), Conway
(1994). Examples in support of this are suggestions to make cutbacks on health
and education, ironically the two services that can ensure the availability of
skilled, healthy and resilient workforce in the future.
In fact there is a lot of common ground on
the notion that IMF does not extend sufficient amount of credits to third World
countries at the time of their greatest need. This explains why countries
facing balance of problems difficulties take long, if at all, to overcome the
balance of payments problem Harrigan (1996). Some even say conditions become
worse in the aftermath of IMF intervention. No doubt calls for reforms in IMF
is top agenda for most developing countries. Unfortunately, there is little
support from the developed countries on this, thanks to the “controlling
interest” they have in its deliberations and activities.
b. ILO: Does ILO push workers’
issues too far for developing countries’ liking?
The international labor organization sees to
it workers’ interests are respected by calling for the provision of proper
conditions of work ranging from remuneration, housing, health, education,
family allowances, to proper working schedule, appropriate personal and career
development. International labor organization abhors discrimination of workers
basing on gender, race, or creed. The
International labor organization has also been vehemently involved in efforts
to reduce, and eventually eradicate forced labor in all forms, especially of
child. Child labor is recognized as a source of exploitation for the underage
children, whose parents however have not many options up their sleeves. The
labor organization has spearheaded efforts to regulate child labor, taking into
consideration, the conditions that force parents to let go of their children to
employers. Many children and women have become victims of trafficking within
and across national borders. It is also an area that has been the focus of ILO for some time.. Some of the
criticisms made against the ILO arise from the fact that the standards for
working conditions are expected to be the same both for developed and
developing countries. Yet, developing countries argue, social, cultural and
economic conditions in the developing countries are quite different from those
in the developed World. Allegations have been made that developing countries
are using the issue of workers’ conditions of work to out compete them out of
the international market. This argument is backed by the fact that most
products from developing countries have a high labor cost component, such as
textiles, farm products, and primary products, implying that were the workers
conditions in the developing world to be indexed to those in the developed
world, the fate will be sealed for developing countries’ exports.
It isn’t only on that quarter that ILO is
attacked, but also its over emphasis on the workers’ side does make it the
darling of many countries where capitalists hold much sway. It for example
criticized for encouraging worker’s radicalism, which in many developing countries
is close to being accused of insubordination. Doubtless, in some countries ILO
activities are curtailed. Reforms are called for even here, even though this
time from different sections of society and of course for different reasons.
c. The UNHCR: Is the agency
hemorrhaging the UN system?
Its activities of
evacuating refugees and resettling displaced persons are categorized as
emergency situations. This means that funds to run such activities are often
raised on adhoc basis due to the unpredictable nature of both the
location, size and intensity of such emergencies. Aid that is channeled through
UNHCR being a multilateral agency doesn’t receive the much needed fanfare and
news coverage so much needed by donors, reducing the interest developed countries
have in contributing their relief through it. The preference is instead given
to non-government organizations with affiliations to the country in question
raising the publicity of the donated aid. The channeling of relief assistance
through a motley of uncoordinated non-government organizations reduces the over
all effectiveness both quantitatively and qualitatively. Moreover, being at the
mercy of the donors, the UNHCR ‘s performance depends on the willingness of the
large donors tom insufficient funding and sluggish aid coordination still
remain the main drawbacks.
d. WTO: Forum for full-fledged
globalization or an arms-twisting nightmare for LDCS ?
The fanfare with which WTO was inaugurated
may belie the challenges already mounting on its doorstep. Not only, does its
credibility depend on how the major nations respect the results of its dispute
settlements mechanisms, but the extent to which nations large and small are
ready to carry out the provisions of the
The
emergence of regional trade arrangements means that large countries are
bent on expending their regional trade
arrangements as part of their participation in the World Trade organization.
The implication is that there will be a two-tier system adopted by larger
powers in their the evolving global economic environment: multilateral accords
representing agreement between the larger contracting powers to the GATT, and
regional trade arrangements involving smaller country arrangements with their
larger trading partners. This shows the degree to which larger powers are
ambiguous in their commitment to World trade organization rules, and such
stance is bound to reduce the negotiating power of the developing world.
Most developing countries are worried at the “…
re-labeling of the GATT institutions by the WTO means that developing
countries’ opportunity to deal in any firm-rules-based way with their situation
in the trading system, and to achieve a strengthened system of trade rules has been
foregone now that permanent status has been granted to WTO”, according to
Hamilton and Whaley (1995).
Additionally, the immense task of
integrating developing countries and economies in transition as well as
monitoring the WTO rules to ensure fair treatment of all for all countries.
Gains expected from trade liberalization are
based on industrialized country economies as well as regional economic
groupings such as European Union and NAFTA, with the implication that the fate
of the developing countries is regarded as an afterthought, rather as an
essential issue. The fact that most gains from trade liberalization arise from
the reduction on agricultural subsidies and tariffs undertaken in the developed
countries, mean s that for exporters of some agricultural products such as food
stuffs like Thailand and Argentina, they will enjoy windfalls as theory will
able to compete with producers in the developed countries. Nonetheless,
food-importing countries will come of worse, as their import bill will skyrocket
leading to higher debt overhand. The position of the developing countries is
made the worse by the fact that cuts in tariffs on industrial products of
interest to developing countries are lower than all other goods 32 per cent
compared with 38 per cent respectively. This implies that despite the
elimination of the MFA quota regime, developing countries’ manufactured
products will find it difficult to access developed countries’ markets with the
exception of fish and fish products plus clothing. There are also worrying
signals according UNCTAD 1992 report, that due to relatively small price
elasticity of demand for tropical products means that the lifeline of most
developing countries will not grow as predicted, making it even harder for
survival, Cline (1995).
The image and work of WTO is as yet fuzzy in
the eyes of the public, meaning that perhaps the body hasn’t been as open and
transparent as it purports to be, which partially explains the consistence in
protests organized against WTO by a cross-section of people in society from
different countries. Workers are up in arms fearing losing their dear jobs;
developing governments are restive at the prospect of losing control of their
captive markets with no assurance that markets in developed countries will be
accessible to them; trade unions mainly in the developed countries, are
protesting against efforts geared towards enfeebling their effectiveness by
allowing workers free access to work across states which obviously breaks their
stranglehold on manpower in any given country; and local businessmen, large and
small alike, are wary of the prospects of competing with Transnational
corporations with many years of experience, immense talent, world wide
network, plus innumerable resources.
Yet politician is likewise restive, at least
if the recriminations of Abdelaziz Bouteflika, President of Algeria and Omar
Gueleh, President of Djibouti are anything to go by Karl (2000). Bouteflika
with much exasperation argues, “At the dawn of the 21 st Century, it
is with utmost uncertainty, and not without anxiety, that we wonder what part
our countries will play in tomorrow’s world, a world founded on the inexorable
law of power and subject to the inflexible rules of the market place.” Omar
Gueleh isn’t any less pessimistic, “The bush fire sweeping through our world
today is called globalization.” These statements depict the state of woeful
un-preparedness of the two heads of state for the new era of free markets,
which more often than not is shared by many developing countries. Hence WTO is
imperceptibly being seen as hell breaking lose for the underdogs, while cozy
and rosy paradise opens up its doors
for the powerful. Surely these aren’t calls for a dance party!
One of the fields in which the UN system
plays an active role in the pursuit of humanitarian issues through its security
council as the authority to give any go-ahead for its activities. Nonetheless
this area too hasn’t escaped a barrage of criticisms from a variety of sources.
What with the fledgling UN system with its hotchpotch of semi -independent
specialized agencies, which groom serious bureaucratic tape and the cause for
some eyebrows being raised, becomes justified.
An outcome of such bureaucracy is the delay
in disbursements of already pledged aid to disaster victims. This delay is
attributed to the regular bureaucratic process through which commodities have
to follow, which obviously takes too long to save many lives in
disaster-affected areas. Thus, the UN system response capacity is under fire
both from the developing countries and developed ones, state agencies as well
as Non governmental organizations.
The precise nature of articles that provide
guidelines on the operations of specialized agencies means that effective
coordination and establishment of priorities is considered difficult to come
by. Yet the Economic and social commission ECOSOC that is supposed to
coordinate the agencies’ functions is considered woefully wanting thanks to the
maze of agencies under its control as well as increases in member states with
differing priorities. This isn’t helped by the lack of concrete guidelines
concerning central instruments of coordinating relationship agreements between
the United Nations and the specialized agencies on one hand, and among the
specialized agencies. Lack of coordination isn’t congenial to good performance,
which hasn’t eluded the watchful eyes of many critics. It is not surprising;
calls have been gaining ground for reforms in the UN system.
e. FAO, IFAD, WFP: Are they losing
the poverty alleviation battle?
The graphic
accounts coming from Sudan Sahel
region in late 1980s and early 1990s, and many cases of harvest loss due to
vermin, poor storage facilities and poor farming practices.
Moreover,
the fact that the poorest countries, including a good number of African
countries, are still dominating the importation of foodstuffs draining their
already battered finances, shows that in one or the other FAO and IFAD haven’t
succeeded in redirecting the countries’ resources from concentrating on cash
crop production, which is ever earning lower foreign reserves, to food
production which would reduce immense expenditures of their hard-earned
dollars. It can thus be asserted that if one of the objectives of these two
organizations is ensuring the availability of low cost nourishing food for most
of the World’s poor, then the score on the scorecard is far from impressive.
The fact that the terms of trade for agricultural
products, the cornerstone of most developing economies, has been nose-diving
for long doesn’t augur well for the full realization of the organizations’
goals. Yet this occurred at the time when industrial products went up in line
with increased cost of production, which left many developing countries in
financial straight jackets, the evidence of which is the massive debt overhang.
The fact
that developed countries managed to maintain high subsidies on their
agricultural products with the main objective being to out compete products
from the developing World is testimony of the contradictions between policies
pursued by multilateral organization and national policies. Yet FAO and IFAD
being organizations in which both developing and developed countries have
membership, shows which part of the World pays the piper and therefore calls
tune; and which is inevitably a mere dancer to the tune of those who have the
resources to pay the piper. Low international market prices and high domestic
prices for agricultural products from the developed world curtails any efforts
at reducing the crashing poverty suffered by close to half the World’s
population.
Evidence is
abound on this. For example
f. United
nations High commission on human rights:
Does it allow for violators to unpunished?
The United Nations high
commission on human rights (UNHCHR) has been one of the worst performers in the
UN system. The body is supposed to help integrating human rights into the
thinking of the united nations system,
enhancing the effectiveness of serving human rights by encouraging links among organizations and institutions in all countries that work for the observance of
human rights at the regional, national and international level into the
UN system, and promoting access to human rights information and promoting human
rights education. The body has been accused of allowing human rights violating
nations to cover up their abuses taking advantage of the agency’s weaknesses.
Additionally, the agency has been dogged by inadequate funding, which has
affected its response and execution of human rights cases. Special emphasis has
been on the agency’s dismal performance in
V. Call for reforms: Are they
nothing more than a pipe dream?
Paradoxically, calls for UN reforms had their
origin from two members of the UN secretary council-The United States and
Yet the almost incapacitation that the
United States and British move led lead to, drove home the message to other members that
the United Nations as it stood perhaps relied so unhealthily on fewer shoulders
for its good. It should be noted that the call for UNESCO overhaul by the two
countries wasn’t regarded in the same light by the developing countries, a fact
that arose from the fact that it was the only UN agency lead by somebody from
the developing world whose political inclination fell short of the
Unlike previous episodes, however, calls for
changes go far deeper than just improving efficiency to the total restructuring
of the UN system. The very structure of the United Nations body needs
restructuring to suit the developments of the World. Call for reform at the UN
encompass; reinforcing the financial, military and logistic resources of the UN
to enable it carry out its assignments successfully, as well as extending the
security council permanent membership. Taking cognizance of the fact that
the organ that
the UN body that shoulders the
responsibility of executing the
peacemaking process , the core function of the UN, is the Security Council,
clamors for reforms have been targeted
towards that organ. From 15 members out of which five (US.
Additionally each member of the five
permanent members has the right to veto any resolution approved by the other
four, members plus the rest of the general assembly, which in effect nullifies
and invalidates it. The extreme power vested in the five members of the
security council has time and again
aroused criticism from other states because of the importance of the decisions
made by UN for the World in general and for each member country in particular.
Fears expressed, range from Security Council members using the UN to undermine
enemy countries in the guise of pursuing UN sanctioned duties to influence
peddling. It isn’t surprising that the
pace of calls for reforms reached fever pitch heat
by the turn of the century judging from the troubled times that characterized
it, which provided room for both critics and proponents alike to make advanced
arrangements for the day of reckoning. Most countries on this issue prefer a
larger security council banking on the idea that a larger security council will
not only be more representative but also difficult to be dominated by either
any single power or a few powers. And candidates haven’t been long in
identifying themselves with strong arguments backing their respective positions
and cause.
VI. Expanding
the UN Security Council: A Glance at the Score card of
contending bigwigs
A
quick glimpse at the prospective candidates for the UN expended Security
Council reveals the complexity that just one aspect of the potential reform of
the UN has in store. Many countries argue, especially those that regard
themselves as befitting a permanent seat at the UN security council that one of
the reforms of the UN system should restructure the United nations supreme
body, the security council. Comprising of five permanent members and ten
rotating members, the council’s powers are vested in its right to consider any
resolution passed by the general assembly with the right to approve it or
otherwise.
It is such overwhelming powers vested in this UN organ that
has made it a target for reform advocated by many countries. The call for
reforms in the UN is evident from excerpts of speeches made in the Millennium
summit. Gnassingbe Eyadema, President of Togo unequivocally argues, “ We think it is high time to review the
composition of the Security Council so as to admit new permanent members from
among the new economic powers which have emerged since the Second World War,
along with regional powers from developing countries.” The list of countries with immense interest and
varying degrees of support from other members of the UN in their vying for
membership on the extended security council include:
The
journey starts with
However, so are its weaknesses. Embroiling
the World into two protracted World wars
in less than a quarter of century a part,
is no strong point on its part; the memories of the holocaust are far
from fading despite efforts at appeasement and compensation to victims of forced labor and persecution;
intolerance of sections of its population to foreigners reflected in the rising
threat of skinheads, desecration of synagogues, and committing arson against
refugees’ hostels, might be strong cases for human rights activists to stand in
its way towards the UN security council
seat. Giving Germany a role as protector of World peace isn’t yet acceptable to
some members of the Security Council who suffered horrendous onslaughts on
their territories as well as populations, and its constitution that limits its
military engagements to self-defense still stands in its way as a member of the
World community with full-fledged powers and responsibility to serve others in
consonance with its capacity. Fortunately for it, the most likely opponent to
its inclusion on the UN Security Council is
Thus, billions of Deutchemarks in aid should significantly soften the
The case
for the rising sun nation,
Though official apology and reparations on a
government to government level were
made in 1953
The
good thing however, is that other nations that once fell victims of its
expansionist policy seem to appreciate
Its
emergence as the computer software giant in the 1990s has earned it fame and
acclaim from supporters and critics
alike, from both developing and developed, because of the
remarkable success achieved as its Banglore-based companies have many
big names on Fortune 500 list of
companies on the list of clients.
Now the turn for the Samba nation,
Nonetheless, the downside to
The downside to
The most “distracting” factor for
The role of the Security Council as is well
known is peace keeping, at least that is what it is supposed to do. The
frequency of conflicts between the nations of
One wonders whether the very principles on
which the United nations system is based, shouldn’t come in for an overhaul, which can only be
accomplished once the format and principles of United nations security
council is overhauled, especially permanent membership. The onset of the global
era with its emphasis on the viability of
‘supra-nationalism’ than parochial, even sentimental nationalism is one
such building block that should be taken into account. Regional economic viability has taken over
national strategic importance in the kaleidoscope of world politics and
economics, which slowly but surely is giving rise to the greater importance
of regional than national power.
The North American free trade area is ever
expanding perhaps in what seems to be a belated attempt to reap the benefits
that the European Union is enjoying. Quite an irony since benefits enjoyed by a
large single
It
is such background that lays the foundation for an argument for the formation of a new security council, with
not necessarily more members, but a change in who the members on the council represent. To prevent the recurrence of cases whereby
the UN Security Council seat is used as a carrot and stick mainly for the
benefit of a single nation’s economic, political, and military interests,
representation should be changed from national t o supranational framework.
Expansion of the security council should likewise be done basing on the same
principle. Supranational representation should shift the interests , a member
represents from those of a single member to those of an entire regional , even
geopolitical region. Such a mechanism should increase the power of the members, reduce arbitrary use of the
United nations security council seat to
benefit a single nation, as any use of the powers vested in the seat should be
made after consultations with regional members. As to which nations to
represent regional groupings, decision should be left to the policy makers of
those regions, along with some key guidelines on the criteria that such
representatives should fulfill from the UN system revitalization body, once it
is in place.
The latest initiative has come from the
secretary general in his comprehensive freedom fear, freedom from want, and freedom to live in dignity UN reform report (Global solutions, 2005) . He argues for more transparency and good
governance of United Nations agencies has been called for. Proposals have
encompassed reforming, improving accountability and transparency of the UN
secretariat; the United nations security
council expansion; establishing early
warning systems to reduce the destruction caused by natural disasters; setting
up a democracy fund to promote democratic principles; establishment of a peace building commission
and peace building support office to prevent instances where warring nations
end up resuming skirmished despite costly intervention by the United nations;
and putting up a mechanism that prevents nations to use weapons of mass
destruction.
VII. Conclusion and the formidable
Task ahead
The United
Nations system has made fundamental contribution to the social, economic,
cultural and even political development of the World. The United nations has promoted world peace
for now 60 years, a fact attested by the lack of another world war. Through its specialized
agencies, the United Nations has been able to extend its long arm of assistance
to the needy countries as well as individuals. Technical and financial
assistance has enabled the construction of much needed infrastructure, which
would have been difficult for cash strapped indebted economies of the
“South”. The latest addition to the list
of international organizations, though not formally an Organization, WTO, is
seen as cautious step forward for a better world with low frontiers and more
trade. Problems however, are still abound. The bureaucratic red tape that
characterizes UN activities reduces the effectiveness as well as efficiency of
its operations.
The
problem of coordinating a cacophony of decentralized specialized agencies is a
task too difficult for the Economic and Social Council to undertake. Yet the
worst danger comes from the overwhelming dominating position of large powers in
determining what should be done and otherwise. Fears that globalization is an
avenue to break the resistance of developing countries against forced rules on
worker’s conditions as well as opening the economies of the South for all
manner of exports from the developed World seems to be sinking in as the
effects of the WTO framework become evident. Reforms are deemed necessary both
on the specialized agency level as well as at the United Nations administrative
and Security Council level. Nonetheless, the performance of the United Nations
as has been the case before will rely on the good will of the participating
countries, large and small. For without such goodwill, funding will be scanty
hampering UN activities, adherence to United Nations resolutions will not take
effect unless the parties in question comply with such resolutions, and others
ready to come in to force such compliance in case non-compliance is considered
detrimental to World peace and security. To add to the much heated debate on
the necessity or otherwise, of the expansion of the security council, the
addition, this article humbly makes is in form of the following recommendations
regarded as pertinent in the election of new members to the security council to
ensure its enhanced prowess and impartiality.
Preferably
for any candidate to qualify as a member, old and new, of the expanded UN
Security Council seat should indicate:
(a) Capacity to contribute more funds and
manpower to the UN agencies reflecting its ability as a leading power to assist
other countries tide over immense problems of poverty, ignorance and disease
(b) Show strong national economic management
credentials, which it can use as the rostrum for “preaching” other countries
into emulating, while at the same time enabling it to provide ample funds for
aiding the development of the poorest of the poor countries.
(c) Not bound by legal or constitutional
obstacles in its contribution of manpower, material and money. This will enable
it not merely to pay lip service towards the establishment and protection of
World peace, but also depict its capacity to help other countries without at
the same time ruining the domestic economy
(d) Respect for human rights both domestic and
beyond with all its manifestations. This should encompass the right to
expression, the right to religion, the right to form organizations, the right
to elect and be elected irrespective of race, creed, and disability
(e) Should possess mature political system not
liable to frequent changes and backed by a strong constitution. This is to
avoid situations where a country becomes a permanent member of the Security
Council with the purpose of strengthening its leverage over its opponents by
virtue of having the right to veto.
The veto powers vested in United
Nations security membership should be maintained at least to avoid the problem
where key decisions are delayed, even abandoned because of the lack of the
majority vote. This was one of the factors that spearheaded the failure of the
On
the last note, it should not be over far removed to call for full-fledged restructuring
of the United Nations system that should go beyond adding new permanent members
on the Security Council and the vested veto power bestowed upon them.
Conventional wisdom suggests that a review of the existing members’ positions
should be in order, and if need be new ones should take up seats for those
members considered no longer able or willing to execute their obligations.
Regional representation is an idea that is floated, which should not be
dismissed out of hand by those nations that stand to lose most from its
implementation: the five current permanent security council members. After all the World order has changed much
since 1945, and one would hope the UN system should reflect such change in the
composition of those countries steering ahead the destiny of others. It isn’t
at all a tall order, is it?
Nonetheless, if the challenges to
institute reforms at the United Nations were not formidable enough, came another bolt from the
blue: the appointment of Mr. John Bolton a, long time vehement critic of the
United Nations as
The
stakes have never been higher. The
statesmanship of heads of state and
government to meet later this month will be tested as never before, the commitment of leaders to causes that are to the benefit
of all rather than those of a single party of few parties; above all of course
the masterly of negotiators and international law experts to bridge merge the
apparently precipitous divide of UN member states to produce a document
acceptable to all nations will be a masterpiece in international diplomacy.
Considering the importance of UN system
to world peace, social and economic
development of the impoverished section of society, the hopes of many are that
the guarantor of all the last resort of all the above succeeds in forging ahead
for yet another six decades and more.
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http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0829/dailyUpdate.html