The United Nations in the 21st Century

Karen A. Mingst, Margaret P. Karns, Alynna J. Lyon

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2022
• eBook ISBN: 9781000537727
• Edition: 6
• Topic: Politics & International Relations
• Subtopic: Intergovernmental Organizations
• Index: Politics & International Relations

The United Nations in the 21st Century, Sixth Edition, provides a comprehensive yet accessible introduction to the UN. It explores the historical, institutional, and theoretical foundations of the UN as well as major global trends and challenges facing the organization today, including changing major power dynamics, new threats to peace and security, the migration and refugee crises, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the existential challenges of climate change and sustainability.

Thoroughly revised and expanded, it contains two new chapters on the UN and the environment and on human security, including issues of health, food security, global migration, and human trafficking. There is enhanced analysis of theoretical perspectives on post-colonialism, feminist theory, constructivism, and non-Western views. New content has also been added on the UN's budget crisis, public–private partnerships, and the role of women in the organization.

By examining the UN as an intergovernmental organization facing the broader need for global cooperation to address economic, social, and environmental interdependencies alongside the threats posed by rising nationalism and populism, this popular text is the perfect reference for all students and practitioners of international organizations, global governance, and international relations.

Acronyms

AfDB

African Development Bank

AFISMA

African-led International Support Mission to Mali

AI

Amnesty International

AIIB

Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank

AMISOM

African Union Mission to Somalia

ANC

African National Congress

AOSIS

Alliance of Small Island States

AQIM

Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb

ASEAN

Association of Southeast Asian Nations

AU

African Union

BRI

Belt and Road Initiative (China)

BRICS

Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa (emerging powers)

CACM

Central American Common Market

CAR

Central African Republic

CARE

Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere

CARICOM

Caribbean Community

CBD

Convention on Biological Diversity

CEB

Chief Executives Board (UN)

CEDAW

Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women

CFCs

chlorofluorocarbons

CGIAR

Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research

CITES

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora

CoNGO

Conference of Non-Governmental Organisations in Consultative Status with UN ECOSOC

COP

Conference of Parties

COVAX

Coronavirus Vaccine Facility

CRC

Convention on the Rights of the Child

CSD

Commission on Sustainable Development

CSO

civil society organizations

CSW

Commission on the Status of Women

CTC

Counter-Terrorism Committee

CTITF

Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force

CTED

Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate

CWC

Chemical Weapons Convention

DAWN

Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era

DCF

Development Cooperation Forum (Biennial)

DPKO

UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (former)

DPO

UN Department of Peace Operations

DPPA

UN Department of Political and Peacekeeping Affairs

DRC

Democratic Republic of the Congo

EBFs

Extra-budgetary Funds (WHO)

ECA

Economic Commission for Africa

ECE

Economic Commission for Europe

ECLA

Economic Commission for Latin America

ECLAC

Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean

ECOSOC

United Nations Economic and Social Council

ECOWAS

Economic Community of West African States

EPTA

Expanded Programme of Technical Assistance

ERC

Emergency Relief Coordinator

ESCAP

Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific

EU

European Union

FAO

Food and Agriculture Organization

GATT

General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade

GAVI

Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization

GCC

Gulf Cooperation Council

GCM

Global Compact on Migration

GCR

Global Compact on Refugees

GDP

gross domestic product

GEF

Global Environmental Facility

GHGs

Greenhouse gases

GNP

gross national product

GOARN

Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network

GONGOs

government-organized non-governmental organizations

GRULAC

Group of Latin American and Caribbean States

GSP

Generalized System of Preferences

GWP

Global Wildlife Program

G-7

Group of Seven

G-8

Group of Eight

G-20

Group of Twenty

G-77

Group of 77

HDI

Human Development Index

HIPC

Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative

HIPPO

High-Level Independent Panel on Peace Operations

HIV/AIDS

human immunodeficiency syndrome

HLAB

High-Level Advisory Board on Mediation

HLPF

High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development

HLTF

High-Level Task Force on the Food Security Crisis

HRC

Human Rights Council

HRW

Human Rights Watch

IAEA

International Atomic Energy Agency

IBRD

International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (also known as the World Bank)

IATA

International Association of Transport Airlines

ICAO

International Civil Aviation Organization

ICC

International Criminal Court

ICISS

International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty

ICJ

International Court of Justice

ICRC

International Committee of the Red Cross

ICSID

International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes

ICTR

International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda

ICTY

International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia

IDA

International Development Association

IDB

Inter-American Development Bank

IDP

Internally displaced persons

IFAD

International Fund for Agricultural Development

IFC

International Finance Corporation

IFOR

Implementation Force (NATO force in the former Yugoslavia)

IGAD

Intergovernmental Authority for Development

IGO

international intergovernmental organization

IHR

International Health Regulations

ILGA

Inter-sex Association

ILO

International Labour Organization

IMF

International Monetary Fund

IMO

International Maritime Organization

IMRF

International Migration Review Forum

INSTRAW

International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women

IPCC

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

IR

International relations

IO

International organizations

IOM

International Organization for Migration

INGO

International non-governmental organization

ISAF

International Security Assistance Force

ISIS

Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham

ITU

International Telecommunications Union

IUCN

International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, now known as the World Conservation Union

JCPOA

Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (2015 Iran nuclear agreement)

LDCs

less developed countries (also referred to as “the South”)

LGBTI

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex

LRA

Lord’s Resistance Army (Uganda)

MDGs

Millennium Development Goals

MEA

Multilateral environmental agreement

MIGA

Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency

MINUSTAH

UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti

MINUSCA

UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic

MINUSMA

UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali

MONUC

UN Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

MONUSCO

UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

MNC

Multinational corporations

MSLR

Mean sea-level rise

MSF

Médecins Sans Frontières

NAFTA

North American Free Trade Agreement

NAM

Nonaligned Movement

NATO

North Atlantic Treaty Organization

NCDs

Noncommunicable Diseases

NDCs

Nationally determined contributions (emissions cuts)

NEPAD

New Partnership for Africa’s Development

NGO

nongovernmental organization

NIEO

New International Economic Order

NWS

nuclear weapon sates

NNWS

non-nuclear weapon states

NPT

Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons

OAS

Organization of American States

OAU

Organization of African Unity

OCHA

Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

OECD

Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development

ONOCI

UN Operation Côte d’Ivoire

OHCHR

Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights

OIHP

Office International d’Hygiène Publique

OIC

Organisation of Islamic Cooperation

OPCW

Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons

OPEC

Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries

OSCE

Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe

PBC

Peacebuilding Commission

PBSO

United Nations Peacebuilding Support Office

PCA

Permanent Court of Arbitration

PHEIC

Public Health Emergency of International Concern (WHO)

PLO

Palestine Liberation Organization

POC

Protection of civilians

PRC

People’s Republic of China

PRSP

Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers

P-5

Permanent five members of the UN Security Council

P-5+1

Permanent five members of the UN Security Council plus Germany (for Iran negotiations)

R2P

responsibility to protect (also RtoP)

ROC

Republic of China (Taiwan)

RPF

Rwandan Patriotic Front

SADC

Southern African Development Community

SARS

severe acute respiratory syndrome

SDGs

Sustainable Development Goals

SFOR

NATO Stabilization Force (in the former Yugoslavia)

SMG

UN Senior Management Group

SRSG

Special Representative of the Secretary General

SWAPO

South West Africa People’s Organization

TNC

Transnational corporation

UDHR

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

UK

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

UN

United Nations

UNAIDS

United Nations Joint Programme on HIV/AIDS

UNAMI

United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq

UNAMID

UN–AU Hybrid operation in Darfur

UNMIL

United Nations Mission in Liberia

UNAMIR

United Nations Assistance Mission in Rwanda

UNCCT

United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre

UNCED

United Nations Conference on the Environment and Development

UNCHE

United Nations Conference on the Human Environment

UNCLOS

United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea

UNCTAD

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development

UNDOF

United Nations Disengagement Observer Force

UNDP

United Nations Development Program

UNDRO

United Nations Disaster Relief Organization

UNEF I, II

United Nations Emergency Force (in Egypt)

UNEP

United Nations Environment Programme

UNESCO

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization

UNFCCC

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

UNFICYP

United Nations Force in Cyprus

UNFPA

United Nations Fund for Population Activities

UNGA

United Nations General Assembly

UN.GIFT

United Nations Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking

UNIFIL

United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon

UNIKOM

United Nations Iraq-Kuwait Observer Mission

UNITA

National Union for the Total Independence of Angola

UNITAF

Unified Task Force on Somalia (also known as Operation Restore Hope)

UNMEER

United Nations Mission for Ebola Emergency Response

UNMISS

UN Mission in South Sudan

UNMIT

UN Integrated Mission in Timor

UNMOVIC

United Nations Monitoring, Verification, and Inspection Commission (in Iraq)

UN-NGLS

United Nations Non-Governmental Liaison Services

UNOCHA

United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

UNOCI

United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire

UNODC

United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime

UNOSOM

United Nations Operation in Somalia

UNPROFOR

United Nations Protection Force (in the former Yugoslavia)

UNRWA

United Nations Relief and Works Agency

UNSC

United Nations Security Council

UNSCOM

United Nations Special Commission for the Disarmament of Iraq

UNSG

United Nations Secretary-General

UNTAC

United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia

UNTAET

United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor

UNTAG

United Nations Transition Assistance Group (in Namibia)

UPR

Universal Periodic Review (of human rights)

UPU

Universal Postal Union

VNR

Voluntary National Reviews (of SDG progress)

WCED

World Commission on Environment and Development

WEOG

Western Europe and Others Group

WFP

World Food Programme

WHA

World Health Assembly

WHO

World Health Organization

WIPO

World Intellectual Property Organization

WMD

weapons of mass destruction

WMO

World Meteorological Organization

WPS

Women, Peace, and Security Agenda

WTO

World Trade Organization

WWF

World Wildlife Fund for Nature

1 The United Nations in World Politics

DOI: 10.4324/9781003038269-1

For over 75 years, the United Nations has played a key role in shaping the world as we know it. It is consistently called upon to respond to both human and natural disasters as well as conflicts, to coordinate global efforts on and face the challenges of poverty, health and food security, women’s empowerment, and climate change. As the UN marked its 75th anniversary in 2020, it was hard to imagine the world without it despite its many ups and downs over the years. It has embodied humankind’s hopes for a better world through the prevention of conflict. It has promoted a culture of legality and rule of law. It has raised awareness of the plight of the world’s poor and it has boosted development by providing technical assistance. It has promoted concern for human rights, including the status of women, the rights of the child, and the unique needs of indigenous peoples. It has been the source of numerous concepts and ideas over its history, including peacekeeping, human development, human security, gender equality, and sustainable development. It contributed immensely to making multilateral diplomacy the primary way in which international norms, public policies, and law are established. It has served as a catalyst for global policy networks and partnerships with other actors. It plays a central role in global governance. Along the way, the UN has earned several Nobel Peace Prizes, including the 2020 award to the World Food Programme (WFP); the 2013 award to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) “for its extensive efforts to eliminate chemical weapons”; the 2005 award to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); the 2001 prize to the UN and Secretary-General Kofi Annan; the 1988 award to UN peacekeepers; and the 1969 honor to the International Labour Organization (ILO).

In the many areas of UN activity, we can point to both the UN’s accomplishments and its shortcomings and failures. More than 75 years after its creation, the UN continues to be the on...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• List of Illustrations
• Preface
• List of Acronyms
• Appendix: Charter of the United Nations (Selected Sections)
• Glossary
• Index