International OrganisationsClass 12 Contemporary World Politics Notes

Why International Organisations?

International organisations are formal structures created by countries to help them manage shared problems. While they are often criticized for being ineffective, they are also seen as essential for global peace and progress.

There are two main reasons why we need them:

1. To Prevent Conflict: Countries often have disagreements. International organisations provide a space for discussion and peaceful negotiation, helping to resolve conflicts without resorting to war. As former UN Under-Secretary-General Shashi Tharoor noted, it's better for countries to "jaw-jaw" (talk) than to "war-war."
2. To Foster Cooperation: Some global challenges are too big for any single country to solve alone. These include:
   • Disease: Eradicating diseases requires worldwide cooperation on vaccinations.
   • Global Warming: Tackling climate change and rising sea levels requires the major industrial powers to work together.

International organisations help by providing information, rules, and a structure for cooperation. They help ensure that the costs and benefits of working together are shared fairly and that countries honour their agreements.

A New Role After the Cold War

With the end of the Cold War and the rise of the United States as the sole superpower, a new question emerged: Can the UN serve as a check on American power? The chapter explores whether the UN can promote dialogue and limit the influence of a single dominant country.

Evolution of the UN

The idea of a global organisation to prevent war emerged after the First World War, leading to the creation of the League of Nations. However, the League failed to prevent the Second World War (1939-45).

The United Nations (UN) was founded as its successor in 1945, immediately after the war ended.

Founding of the United Nations

1. August 1941: US President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British PM Winston S. Churchill sign the Atlantic Charter.
2. January 1942: 26 Allied nations sign the 'Declaration by United Nations'.
3. February 1945: The 'Big Three' (Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin) meet at the Yalta Conference and decide to organise a UN conference.
4. June 26, 1945: The UN Charter is signed by 50 nations in San Francisco.
5. October 24, 1945: The UN officially comes into existence. India joined just a few days later on October 30, 1945.

Objectives and Structure

The UN's main goals are to prevent international conflict and promote social and economic development worldwide. By 2011, it had 193 member states.

The UN has many different parts, but two of the most important are:

• The UN General Assembly: All member states have one vote each. It is a forum for discussion on a wide range of global issues.
• The UN Security Council: This body deals with issues of war and peace. It has five permanent members (the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, and China) and ten non-permanent members. The five permanent members were chosen because they were the most powerful countries and the victors immediately after the Second World War.

The head of the UN is the Secretary-General. The current Secretary-General is António Guterres, who took office on January 1, 2017.

Key UN Agencies

Social and economic issues are handled by numerous specialised agencies, including:

• World Health Organisation (WHO)
• United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
• United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR)
• United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)
• United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)

Reform of the UN after the Cold War

The end of the Cold War around 1989 brought massive changes to world politics, leading to calls for the UN to reform.

Key Changes in the World:

• The Soviet Union collapsed.
• The US became the world's strongest power.
• New powers like China and India began to rise.
• Many new countries joined the UN.
• A new set of global challenges emerged, including genocide, civil war, terrorism, and climate change.

These changes meant the UN, which was structured for the post-WWII world, needed to adapt. Demands for reform fell into two main categories:

1. Reform of Structures and Processes: This primarily involves changing the Security Council.
2. Review of Jurisdiction: This involves deciding which issues the UN should focus on, such as peace and security missions versus development and humanitarian work.

Reform of Structures and Processes

The biggest debate has been about reforming the UN Security Council. In 1992, the UN General Assembly passed a resolution highlighting three main complaints:

• The Security Council no longer reflects contemporary political realities.
• Its decisions are dominated by a few powers and reflect only Western interests.
• It lacks fair and equitable representation.

In response, several criteria were proposed for adding new permanent and non-permanent members:

• A major economic and military power.
• A substantial contributor to the UN budget.
• A large nation in terms of population.
• A nation that respects democracy and human rights.
• A country that would make the Council more diverse in terms of geography and culture.

The Veto Power

A critical feature of the Security Council is the veto power, held exclusively by the five permanent members.

• What it is: The veto is a special negative vote. If any one of the five permanent members votes 'no' on a decision, it cannot be passed, even if all other members vote 'yes'.
• Why it exists: The veto was created to ensure that the world's great powers would remain invested in the UN. Without it, they might ignore the organization and act on their own, making the UN ineffective.

While there have been calls to abolish the veto, the permanent members are unlikely to agree to give up this power.

Jurisdiction of the UN

In September 2005, at its 60th anniversary, UN leaders agreed on several steps to make the organization more relevant:

• Creation of a Peacebuilding Commission.
• Establishment of a Human Rights Council (operational since 2006).
• Acceptance of the international community's responsibility to protect citizens when their own governments fail to do so.
• Agreements to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
• Condemnation of terrorism in all forms.
• Creation of a Democracy Fund.

India and the UN Reforms

India has consistently supported the restructuring of the UN, believing a revitalised UN is essential for a changing world. India's main arguments for reform focus on the Security Council.

India's Position:

• Representation: The Security Council's membership has remained static since 1965 (when it expanded from 11 to 15 members), while the General Assembly has grown significantly, with a majority of members now being developing countries. India argues this harms the Council's representative character.
• Expansion: India supports an increase in both permanent and non-permanent members to include more developing countries. This, it argues, would give the Council's decisions greater support from the world community.

India's Bid for a Permanent Seat

India itself wishes to become a permanent member of the Security Council. Its case is built on several key points:

• It is the world's most populous country and largest democracy.
• It has participated in almost all of the UN's initiatives, with a long and significant role in peacekeeping missions.
• Its economy is emerging as a major force on the world stage.
• It has consistently made its financial contributions to the UN on time.

Obstacles to India's Membership

Despite its strong case, several countries question India's inclusion:

• Pakistan, India's neighbour with whom it has troubled relations, opposes its bid.
• Some countries are concerned about India's nuclear weapons capabilities.
• Others feel that if India is included, other emerging powers like Brazil, Germany, Japan, and South Africa would also have to be accommodated, which some oppose.
• There is a strong argument that Africa and South America must be represented, as they are the only continents without a permanent seat.

The UN in a Unipolar World

With the US as the world's only superpower, can the UN act as a balance against American dominance? The reality is that US power is very difficult to check.

Sources of US Influence:

• Military and Economic Power: As the sole superpower, the US can afford to ignore the UN if it chooses.
• Financial Contribution: The US is the single largest contributor to the UN budget, giving it significant financial leverage.
• Location: The UN is physically located in the US, which gives Washington additional influence.
• Veto Power: The US can use its veto to block any resolution that it finds damaging to its interests or those of its allies.
• Bureaucracy: The US has many of its nationals working within the UN bureaucracy and has considerable say in the selection of the Secretary-General.

The UN's Role as a Forum

While the UN cannot act as a direct "balance" to US power, it serves a vital purpose. It provides a unique arena where the rest of the world can engage in discussions with the US.

• It is a space where arguments against specific US policies can be heard.
• It allows for compromises and concessions to be shaped.

In an increasingly interconnected and interdependent world, an organisation like the UN is essential for bringing countries together to deal with global challenges. Though imperfect, the world would be worse off without it.

Other Key International Organisations

Besides the UN, several other organisations play crucial roles in the world.

IMF (International Monetary Fund)

• The IMF is an international organisation with 190 member countries that oversees global financial institutions and regulations.
• Voting rights are not equal. The G-7 members (US, Japan, Germany, France, UK, Italy, and Canada) hold over 41% of the votes, giving them significant influence.

World Bank

• Created in 1944 during the Second World War, the World Bank focuses on developing countries.
• It works on human development (education, health), agriculture, infrastructure, and governance.
• It provides loans and grants but is often criticised for attaching strict conditions and forcing free-market reforms on poorer nations.

WTO (World Trade Organisation)

• The WTO was set up in 1995 as the successor to the General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs (GATT).
• It sets the rules for global trade and has 164 members.
• While decisions are meant to be unanimous, major economic powers like the US, EU, and Japan have often managed to frame rules that advance their own interests.

IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency)

• Established in 1957, the IAEA seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy and prevent its use for military purposes.
• Its teams regularly inspect nuclear facilities worldwide to ensure civilian reactors are not being used for military purposes.

Human Rights Watch

• This is an international Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) involved in research and advocacy on human rights.
• It is the largest international human rights organisation in the US and works to draw global media attention to human rights abuses.
• It has helped build international campaigns to ban landmines, stop the use of child soldiers, and establish the International Criminal Court.