Juggling change and challenges at the U.N.
The United Nations is confronting deep funding cuts and political differences. Eighty years after its founding, can its multinational membership hold on to its universal ideals?
Delegates at the Sept. 9 opening session of the 80th United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York City.
AP
This month鈥檚 annual gathering of the United Nations marks 80 years since its founding charter was adopted in the waning months of World War II. Since then, the U.N.鈥檚 membership has almost quadrupled, from 51 nations to more than 190. It has achieved successes in global health, peacekeeping, women鈥檚 and children鈥檚 rights, poverty reduction, and treaties that govern international communications, atomic energy, and air transport. But alongside these, the U.N.鈥檚 challenges and divisions have also multiplied.
The United States has long been the U.N.鈥檚 largest funder. However, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio claims, 鈥淭he post-war global order is not just obsolete, it is now a weapon being used against us.鈥澛燭he administration has accused the International Criminal Court, for example, of unfair investigation of U.S. personnel.聽The U.S. has recently slashed foreign assistance in general and scaled down participation in several multinational agencies and security alliances.
The U.N. now faces difficult discussions over its funding and purpose, requiring it to reflect on the changeless values that drove its creation.
鈥淭he UN鈥檚 founding ideals 鈥� dignity, justice, solidarity 鈥� are not obsolete,鈥� says Jem Bendell, a former professor at the University of Cumbria in Britain and consultant to the U.N. Postwar structures 鈥渨ere designed for a world that no longer exists,鈥� he agrees. But their 鈥渟pirit,鈥� he writes, represents 鈥渁 future, if we dare to change course.鈥�
Many citizens across the globe 鈥� notably Americans 鈥� still believe in multinational cooperation. In July, the Pew Research Center reported that 57% of Americans hold a favorable view of the U.N., an increase of five percentage points over last year. Support for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, which is committed to mutual defense as well as 鈥渄emocracy, human rights and the rule of law,鈥� is at 77%, according to Gallup. The American Enterprise Institute concludes that more than half of 40 selected multinational organizations contribute 鈥渟ignificantly鈥� or 鈥渟ome鈥� to U.S. interests.
At the 鈥渉igh level鈥� U.N. sessions next week, world leaders will present their views on the future of the U.N. and divisive global issues 鈥� including the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, as well as civil conflicts and climate change. There will likely be abstentions, vetoes, or walkouts.
Pursuing peace is not easy and will require the U.N. to be better at mediating conflict and forging consensus. Upholding the U.N.鈥檚 founding purpose, U.S. President Harry Truman said in 1945, would 鈥渢ax the moral strength and fibre of us all.鈥� But having the U.N. Charter at all was 鈥渃ause for profound thanksgiving,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t was proof that nations ... can state their differences, can face them, and then can find common ground on which to stand. ... That is the essence of keeping the peace in the future.鈥�