Maintaining global peace and security: the role of United Nations

• Main Authors: Eishan Jan, Mohammad Naqib, Ahmad, Muhamad Hassan
• Format: Book Chapter
• Language: English
• Published: CLJ Malaysia Sdn Bhd 2024
• Subjects: KZ Law of Nations
• Online Access: http://irep.iium.edu.my/115744/1/115744_Maintaining%20global%20peace%20and%20security.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/115744/

The current war between Russia and Ukraine, the endless conflict between Palestine and Israel, the violent and chaotic situations in Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen, etc., raise questions about the role of the United Nations (UN), especially some of its main organs, the Security Council, the General Assembly, and the good office of the Secretary-General in relation to maintaining international peace and security. The UN, as "the guardian of world peace", can be successful in its mission, provided consensus and unified action exist among its members, especially the primary actors among them, which, unfortunately, have been lacking for a long time. If the situation continues like this, could the UN face a fate akin to its predecessor, the League of Nations? This question looms in the mind of every curious person. The success of the United Nations, as this chapter hypothesises, depends heavily on the collaborative efforts of its members. With the strong support of its members, the UN can work more effectively in the areas of peace and security, development and human rights, disarmament, counter-terrorism, disease prevention, gender equality, education, refugee resettlement and humanitarian assistance. However, should members, especially the permanent members of the Security Council, withhold support for the good work of the UN, the organisation risks faltering. The UN's failure is not in the interest of anyone, and no responsible country should bring this organisation to the fate of the League of Nations. The UN remains widely regarded as "humanity's great hope" for world peace and security. At the same time, the UN is expected to exert all its efforts to avoid turning people's hope into despair. In this chapter, attempt has been made to evaluate whether the UN, "the guardian of world peace", has played an effective role in achieving its goals, including inter alia maintaining global peace and security through its various organs. Considering the level of violence in the world, the threat of weapons of mass destruction, armed conflicts, aggressive wars, and massive violation of human rights, one wonders if the UN has indeed played its role effectively. If it has, is there any evidence to prove it? And if it hasn't, what is the issue and what steps should be taken to enhance the UN's effectiveness in achieving international peace and security, and avoiding the fate of its predecessor, the League of Nations?