United Nations Intergovernmental Organization
Introduction
It is observable that intergovernmental Organizations have turned out to be more proficient in dealing with the issue of conflict resolution among states. They also facilitate how intractable conflicts among states are handled. They act as a primary function, which ensures that the possibility of cooperation is enhanced. Among the many IGOs that we have across the world, the United Nations is the most intricate and prominent IGO. This is because the UN turned out to be the primary venue for normalizing or diffusing international conflicts. For instance, after World War II, it gave several nations a shoulder to lean on. The role of the UN that is growing is internal and not international. This paper will discuss the characters and functions of the UN.
The Functions of the United Nations
The UN has several functions and powers which are stipulated following the charter of the United Nations. To commence with, the UN enhances international peace and security according to the purposes and principles of the UN. Whenever there arises a dispute between states which involve aggression, the UN Security Council must plan on how to intervene and restore peace and order. The second function of the UN is to do investigations on any disputes that arise internationally and whose consequences would lead to friction. Whenever a conflict or dispute arises between states, it is the UN’s role to ensure thorough investigations are done. It is aimed to figure out the root cause of the problem and evade war or any other friction that may be caused as a result (Pitt & Weiss, (2019).
The UN’s charter requires that the UN Security Council devise plans that facilitate the establishment of a system that can regulate armaments. Sometimes, global governance is difficult to control, which implies that war and conflicts are part of the world’s fates. However, weapons are controllable, and the body responsible for such setbacks is the UN Security Council. The fourth function of the UN is to determine if a threat to World peace exists. The UN Security Council is on the lookout so that a war will not transpire without their knowledge. In case the danger is rigorous, the UN acts or recommends what actions ought to be taken (Thakur, 2019).
The UN also calls on its members to use economic sanctions as well as other measures that use force to evade or curb aggression. If a member of the UN wishes to respond to a dispute with power, the UN Security Council should visualize such plans and stop the aggressive response before it transpires. It is also the UN’s role to take military action whenever aggression occurs without the Security Council figuring it out. If a nation or state takes aggressive steps in response to a dispute, it is the UN Security Council’s responsibility to respond to the aggressor with equal or more force s as to normalize the situation. This expounds on the reason as to why the UN has got its military soldiers as well as potent military weapons (Karns et al., 2015).
Characteristics of the UN
The first characteristic of the UN is that it settles disputes peacefully. If there are countries with an argument or a conflict, and there is a vivid sign that they are going to venture into war, the UN should be consulted per Article 35. This should be done after peaceful problem-solving techniques like mediation, inquiry, reconciliation, negotiation, judicial judgment, and resort to regional agencies have failed to work out. The UN is supposed to evade aggression in all ways possible in solving the problem (Pitt & Weiss, 2019).
The second attribute of the UN is that it embraces justice. Whenever a dispute comes up, the UN doesn’t support one state or nation in solving the problem. From the way World War II ended, there is sufficient proof that the UN doesn’t tolerate biasness in how it deals with its cases. It is also crucial to note that there is an international Court of justice that ensures that any leader who is guilty of a capital offense, he or she faces persecution.
There is also another crucial attribute associated with the United Nations. This is the fact that it is cooperative (Haas, 2018). The UN works hand in hand with its members while attempting to foster cooperation among nations. This happens in the process of solving reconstructive aspects like social, economic, humanitarian international shortcomings, and cultural problems. The UN respects Diversity since it deals with members from different races, religions, cultures, societies, and economies. This makes its members to trust its processes and procedures as well as embracing unity. The other attributes include Integrity, Professionalism, and gender parity (Wang, 2017).
Conclusion
In conclusion, the United Nations has turned out to be very proficient in dealing with the issue of conflict resolution among states and facilitating how intractable conflicts among states are handled. The UN has various attributes, as mentioned above. These include maintaining peace and order among nations, recommending conflict resolution methods, taking military actions against an aggressor, and determining a World armament threat, among others. Its attributes include peaceful settling of disputes, being cooperative, embracing justice, and integrity.
References
Kagan, R. (2018). The Jungle Grows Back: The Case for American Power. Knopf.
Karns et al. (2015): The challenges of global governance.
Pitt, D., & Weiss, T. G. (2019). The nature of United Nations bureaucracies. Routledge.
Thakur, R. (2019). International Peacekeeping in Lebanon: United Nations Authority and Multinational Force. Routledge.
Haas (2018): A World in disarray: American foreign policy and the World order crisis. Read the introduction, chapter 5, and section 10.. https://shared-assets.adobe.com/link/bc02c05d-8c0d-419b-64ef-c855a4f86fb6.