REFORMING UNITED NATIONS

A-INTRODUCTION:

 The Aims & Objectives of creating UN were:

1. maintain international peace and security
2. ensure respect for the principle of equal rights and self determination of peoples
3. strengthen international cooperation to resolve economic, social, cultural and humanitarian problems
4. work for the promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms.

 Over last six decades, the membership of UN has grown to 191 members, yet its form & structure reflects the post WW-II scenario.

 Though widely seen to serve the interests of privileged few (5 permanent members of UN Security Council), yet UN remains the only international forum with universal membership where the weaker nations of the world can hope for a fair hearing and can turn to for support, protection and justice for the maintenance of their independence and sovereignty.

 The UN Charter, drafted primarily by the victorious Allied Powers during the Second World War, contains certain built-in inequalities among the member states, particularly in the context of the UN Security Council (UNSC), whereby five member states have been given permanent seats and the power of veto.

 In order to achieve the representative character of UN, the reorganization of UNSC holds the primacy. However, the absence of consensus among the members of UN has delayed the reforms.

 The General Assembly in 1993 established an Open Ended Working Group on the Question of Equitable Representation and on the Increase in the Membership of the Security Council and other matters like transparency & working methods of Security Council.

B-RE-ORGANISATION OF UNSC:

 The composition of UNSC, permanent membership of UNSC & Veto are underlying issues related with re-organisation of UNSC.

 The G-4 countries (Germany, Japan, Brazil & India) are vying for permanent membership in UNSC, basing their claim on multiple factors.

 Uniting For Consensus (UFC) group, consisting of countries like Italy, South Korea, Pakistan, Mexico, Argentine, Chile, have pooled their diplomatic resources to thwart the designs of G-4.

 Open Ended Working Group on the Question of Equitable Representation and on the Increase in the Membership of the Security Council in its deliberation came with following ideas:

1. Proposal about inclusion of 6 new permanent member of UNSC albeit without veto,

2. Proposal about total membership to be increased to 25

3. 6 new permanent seats of UNSC to be divided i.e. 2 for Asia-Pacific Region, 2 for Africa and 1 each for Europe & Americas.

4. 15 members out of 25 (including 5 veto-yielding members) required for a decision.

B-I: ASSESING THE PROPOSALS:

1. Enlargement of UNSC’s permanent membership is contrary to UN Charter’s principle of sovereign equality.

2. Inclusion of new permanent members would jeopardize the prevailing ratio of permanent members & rotating members (presently its 1:2. after reforms it would be 1:1)

3. The interests of new permanent members will seriously jeopardize the functioning of UNSC.

4. New permanent members would ultimately claim a veto, leaving UN more divisive.

5. The proposals clearly manifest the lack of respect of sovereign equality of 180 member states.

6. The scheme of proposals neglects the major issue of strengthening UN General Assembly.

B-II: THE PROPOSALS OF UFC GROUP:

1. 25 members UNSC with 20 non-permanent members.

2. Distribution of non-permanent seats in following order: 6 for Africa, 5 for Asia, 4 for Latin America and Caribbean states, 3 for western Europe and two for Eastern Europe.

3. The term of non-permanent members to be raised to 3- years and non-permanent member could be re-elected, the term and method of allocation to be determined by regional groupings.
B-III: THE ADVANTAGES OF PROPOSALS OF UFC GROUP:

1. These equitable and fair, as these do not discriminate among the members of UN.

2. These are representative. These would increase the opportunity of developing countries.

3. These are flexible, as it encompasses the interests of particular region.

B-IV: THE POSITION OF PERMANET MEMBERS:
USA: Open to enlargement of UNSC, provided a criteria consisting of No of factors is used (like GDP, military strength, contribution to UN Peace Keeping, Commitment to Democracy/Human Rights. Supports the inclusion of Japan, yet considers the plan of G-4 as un-workable.

CHINA: Supports the position of UFC Group and claims that enlargement must be consensus based. Beijing is against the inclusion of Japan & India in the fold of UNSC.

RUSSIA: Supports New Delhi’s inclusion, however calls for a consensus.

FRANCE: France has co-authored the draft proposals of G-4, in support with UK.

B-V: ISLAMABAD’S STANCE:
Active member of UFC Groups which is against the enlargement of UNSC’s permanent members. Expansion must be based on democratic principles, sovereign equality of states. Reforms should promote greater democracy, participation, transparency and accountibilty.

C: UN SECRETARIAT:
This refers to the administration of UN Secretariat in more transparent, more accountable, and more efficient.

The UN Secretariat has about 30,000 staff around the globe, administrating UN worldover, responding to the decisions by the Member States in the Security Council and the General Assembly.

Among the notable efforts of Secretariat reform since 2005 is the Secretary-General's report Investing in the United Nations from March 2006 and the Comprehensive review of governance and oversight within the UN, June the same year. From the Member States side there is the Four Nations Initiative, a cooperation project by Chile, South Africa, Sweden and Thailand to promote governance and management reforms, aiming at increased accountability and transparency.

D: UN PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY:

A United Nations Parliamentary Assembly, or United Nations People's Assembly (UNPA), is a proposed addition to the United Nations System that eventually would allow for direct election of UN Parliament members by citizens of all over the world. It aims to cease the powers of UNSC. However, the proposals are largely stagnant.

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