UNTIED NATIONS ROLE IN THE PROMOTION AND MAINTAINCE OF INTERNATIONAL PEACE AND

SECURITY

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ROLE OF UNTIED NATIONS IN THE PROMOTION AND MAINTAINCE OF INTERNATIONAL PEACE AND
SECURITY.
INTRODUCTION The question requires one to show how the United Nations is promoting
and maintaining international peace and security with a clear understanding of the
history and objectives of United nations . United Nations is an international
organisation established in 1945 after the second world war .Just as the 1st world
war led to the formation of the league of Nations, the second world War led to the
establishment of United Nations. In each case both statesmen and scholars tried to
develop ways of maintaining world peace and stability after the wars. The United
Nations established in 1945, is a balance of conservatism and change. Because the
League of Nations had failed to prevent war, the United Nations charter sought to
correct the League covenant’s deficiencies. The Architects of UN also attempted to
divorce the new organisation from any lingering stigma of the League and to
convince others that the UN was completely new creation, not just a revised
league1. The Former secretary general of United Nations, Kofi A. Annan once said

‘So it is in international affairs. Why was the United Nations established, if not
to act as benign policeman or doctor? Our job is to intervene: to prevent conflict
where we can, to put a stop to it when it has broken out,..- when neither of those
things is possible-at least to contain it and prevent it from spreading .That is
what the world expects of us ,even though-atlas-the United nations by no means
always lives up to such expectations’2
Today virtually every United nations organ, department ,specialised agency and
programmes is involved to some degree in the promotion of peace and security.
United Nations has played significant roles in the promotion and maintaince of
internationational peace and security which include: Through Peacemaking and
peacekeeping operations, the United Nations has helped maintain and restore
international peace and security. The United Nation has been A.LeRoy Bennet,
‘International Organisations’ Principles and Issues,4th ed,united states of
America, Prentice-Hall International,inc,1988
1

Kofi. A. Annan, 1999, the Question of Intervention. Statements by the secretary

General, united Nations department of Public Information, New York pp.2-54
able to mobilise members states to contribute forces for UN peacekeeping missions
which observe ceasefires, arms control withdrawal of forces, establishing buffer
zones during war ,intervened in humanitarian assistance keeping operations in the
world. During Iran –Iraq war in august 1988, UN supervised ceasefire that ended the
eight year conflict by 1991.in some respects ,the UN Cambodia operation was a
success as it helped put an end to a full scale civil war and brought peace to the
country. Other world UN peace operations include UN Disengagement observer
force(UNEF TWO) in Syrian Golan Heights from June 1973 to present ,UN interim Force
in Lebanon in southern Lebanon from march 1978 to present, first UN emergency Force
in Suez Sinai peninsula form November 1956-june 1967. UN also established the UN
Assistance mission in Rwanda (UNAMIR) in October 1993 that monitored peace
agreement, relief supply, and humanitarian protection zone and ended in 1996.3 For
many years, united nations has been credited conducting successful worldwide
peacekeeping operations monitoring ceasefires, buffer zones, peace agreements that
have helped bring peace Namibia, Mozambique and El Salvador , southern Sudan on
small extent. Sometimes the UN has taken direct military action against aggression,
end conflict and war.UN peacekeepers have sometimes used military force has a last
resort and self defence to maintain peace and security in the world. In 1961 Congo
now Democratic Republic Of Congo after independence, the security council
authorised the UN operations to use force in stop foreign mercenaries ,violence and
succession attempt.. United Nations has overseen the Establishment of war crime
tribunals and committees. Which have been instrumental in reconciliation and trial
of war crime offenders which act as a deterrent for the would be war mongers who
start conflict s to disturb peace. The creation of ad hoc tribunals, such as those
for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda based on the post-World War II Nuremberg
Tribunal, have made it possible to judge people who have committed crimes against
humanity and promote world peace. Through Judicial settlement of dispute and
conflicts that threaten wor5ld peace, the United Nations has managed old and new
territory disputes through the International Court of justice, International
criminal court , arbitration, negotiations and Mediation between warring states.
The Security Council has at times intervened to prompt states to move more serious
in utilising such methods to maintain and promote international peace and security
since peace is vital to all countries. United Nations has advanced Collective
security approach to promote and maintain international peace and security. The UN
has united and mobilised states in
3

United Nations, The Blue Helmets: a review of the United Nations peacekeeping,3rd
ed.New York, UN Department of public information,1996,pp689776.
collective action against aggressors with overwhelming united threat of
counterforce. It is assumed that peace is indivisible and insecurity applies to all
states not individually in the international system. When one’s peace is disturbed,
then the entire world peace system is disturbed hence one for one and all for one.
States do not act on the basis of their own individual national interests.
Collective security has prevented use of force, based on the proposition that
potential aggressors will refrain from attack when they know their actions will be
met by actions of international community hence maintaining international peace and
security. Collective security was applied in Korea in 1950 when UN forces countered
the North Korea invasion of South Korea. However Collective security has not been a
viable option for most conflicts and threats to peace since Second World War
Instrumental in Ending colonialism and development of new states in the world which
checked on peace and security. By 1960 a majority of UN members favoured
decolonisation. General assembly resolution 1514 condemned the continuation of
colonial rule and preconditions for granting independence and called for annual
reports on the progress towards independence of all remaining colonial
territories4. After the signing g of the UN charter, most of the former colonies
had achieved independence with relatively little threat to international peace and
security. Decolonisation of the world was significant peaceful transformation. UN
provided important forum for change in international peace and security systems The
United Nations has set aside Days to advance peace and security concerns in to
world. For example the International Day of Peace. It is not only a day to
celebrate peace but also reflect on peace situation in the world and come up with
solutions. Thereby commemorating and strengthening the ideals of peace within and
among all nations and people. Among other days is International day of United
Nations Peacekeepers to pay tribute to all men and women who have served and
continue to serve in United Nations peacekeeping operations. These events have
promoted and maintained the spirit of international peace drives. United Nations
has undertaken Enforcement measures to promote and maintain peace and security.
Chapter Vii of the UN charter outlines a variety of enforcement mechanisms
including economic, military, diplomatic and financial sanctions to prevent or
deter threats to international peace and security. The security council has
frequently invoked its authority under chapter VII to intervene in situations
deemed threatening to international peace and security. United Nations has resolved
conflicts and disputes by Diplomacy. Early diplomatic intervention, at its best can
avert bloodshed altogether. Iraq is one example of how when moment is ripe,
diplomacy through United Nations can achieve in settling disputes. Its enforcement
actions have included the 1990 economic sanctions against Iraq, the arms embargo
against Yugoslavia in 1991, the air and arms embargo against Libya in 1992 and
Enforce no fly zone or safe havens in areas of conflict.

Karen A.Mingst and Margaret P.Karns, 1998 The United Nations in the post-Cold war
Era,2nd Ed p.4
United Nations through its own agency, The United Nations Population Fund helps to
promote a culture of peace by developing information programs for women with regard
to sex education. This allows them in turn to make fully informed decisions and
thereby contribute to a better management of the planet's population. Then The
World Food Programme promotes better nutrition by using food aid to support
economic and social development, later sets up programmes to help foster greater
agricultural productivity, thereby fighting hunger and poverty around the world.
Hunger and poverty are two important factors in the outbreak of conflicts The
United Nations has instituted early conflict warning mechanism that have maintained
peace and sec unity in Africa an d the world over. UN has also go further to follow
up early warning with early and effective action whether response required
diplomatic efforts or humanitarian efforts. Early warning mechanisms are widely
regarded as serving an important role in conflict prevention but without early
action, early warning is of little use in promotion of peace and security. The
United Nations early warning g capabilities have been significantly improved in the
recent years. In the former Yugoslavia Republic of Macedonia, the United Nations
succefully deployed peace keeping operations before the conflict occurred by
reassuring presence and a certain amount of transparency, such deployment can
prevent the type of miscalculations that can lead to violent conflict, allow time
for grievances to be settled through political channels making it possible to
strengthen peacebuilding institutions and be a critical confidence building measure
for peace .

The United Nations has been at the fore front advocating for respect and observance
of human rights and rule of law which are necessary components of any effort to
make peace durable and security. The United Nations High Commissioner for human
rights has assisted governments worldwide to draft national plans of action for
human rights for example advancing the ratification of human rights treaties like
Universal Declaration of Human Rights treaty, reviewing and amending legislation to
ensure human rights observatiobn., establishing human rights commissions .if
individuals or groups including agents of state can act with impunity and escape
punishment, citizens will live in fear or arbitrary arrest and detention. If the
law is applied selectively and is practically harsh on certain groups, it creates
resentment and fosters the environment for a violent response. Respect of human
rights and rule of law has been instrumental in maintaining of international peace
and security because areas without rule of law or respect for human rights easily
fuel conflict. The United Nations has established special committees and liaison
offices world wide to coordinate and prepare peace and security initiatives. This
has to some extent promoted peace and security. For example within the United
Nations systems special bodies to advance for international peace and security
include Security Council, General Assembly Fourth Committee (Special Political and
Decolonization) Commission Function, membership, activities, documents. Disarmament
Commission, Conference on Disarmament Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer
Space,and Executive committee on peace and security was the recently created,
convened by the under-secretary-General for Political Affairs, is intended further
to enhance cooperation, policy coherence and the sharing of information. Likewise
the
established United Nations liaison office at the former OAU now AU Headquarters.
This consolidates cooperation between the two organisations and facilitates the
coordinated deployment of diplomatic and political efforts to prevent, contain and
resolve conflicts in Africa. More to that, also the objective of annual meetings of
officials from United Nations and African Union secretariats which is chaired by
two secretary generals. United Nations has also co-operated with subregional
organisations such as ASEAN, ECOWAS, southern Africa Development Community which
are working closely to address issues of peace and security to resolve conflicts
and promote peace. United Nations has Managed Arms control and disarmament which is
crucial in international peace and security. UN committee on disarmament came into
force in 1975, UN committee on Disarmament completed the comprehensive Test Ban
Treaty which serve purposes of preventing declared nuclear weapons states and other
parties s from developing new weapon designs and reconfirms international
proliferation. UN became involved in negotiations for the treaty on nuclear
nonproliferation that concluded in 1961 and started in 1970. I AEA Successfully
carried out inspections for suspected storage and production facilities, destroying
stocks of materials and checking documents. UN established UN special commission
for disarmament of Iraq (UNSCOM) was created to oversee destruction of Iraq‘s
chemical and biological weapons and their production and storage facilities and
monitor long-time-term compliance. There have been efforts by the United Nations to
help reduce need for large national military capacity threats and security fields
including the signing of non-aggression pacts and security cooperation agreements,
participation in joint military training exercises, patrols and policies against
illicit arms trafficking. In 2007, eight African counties provided information to
the United Nations Register of Convectional Arms to diminish the threat which
proliferation of small arms poses for Africa peace and security5. United Nations
has played a significant role in stopping the proliferation of arms especially
nuclear arms which fuel international conflict and tension. The UN‘s treaty making
powers have been utilised to demilitarise Antarctica and outer space and to control
the spread of weapons of mass destruction by banning nuclear proliferation. UN
tried to Control manufacturing and use of weapons of mass destruction through
International Atomic Energy Agency(IAEA),one of Un’s specialised agencies
established in 1957 is responsible inspecting, destroying ,monitoring, removal and
control of nuclear weapons in the world. Furthermore there has been chemical and
biological weapon prohibitattion (CBW), United Nations has promoted international
peace and security through organising dialogue meeting between conflicting parties
on ground in a country and between other states. this was also the case in
Mozambique which showed that UN in right circumstances can offer a flexible and
uniquely adapted means to confront
5

The causes of conflict and the promotion of durable peace and sustainable
development in Africa ,report of the UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan ,April 1998
conflicts in the world. United Nation’s success in ending violence and
institutionalising peace in Mozambique testifies contribution that UN can make as
an impartial and legitimate actor for peace. On a number of occasions the United
Nations has initiated peace talks between rebels and governments like in Uganda
between Ugandan rebel Joseph Kony and Ugandan government. United Nations has
carried out economically interventions in some world conflicts and disputes. United
Nations has also at time intervened economically in form of advice and assistance
to prevent it from reaching military stage. In most cases ethnic tensions are
exacerbated by poverty and famine or uneven economic development. That is why the
work of the United Nations Development Programme comes in. Most of the world’s 20
poorest countries have experienced significant violent conflict in the past
decades. In Africa, out of the 45 countries where The United nations has
development programmes, 18 are experiencing civil strife and 11 are varying stages
of political progress6. Post conflict and peace building role in the world. From
Namibia and El Salvador to Kosovo and East Timor, United nations working side by
side along with local government officials, NGOs and citizen groups to provide
emmergency,relief, demobilise combatants,clear mines,organise elections,encourage
reconciliations,build impartial police forces and re-establish basic services7. In
the end restoring and maintaining peace and security in the world. United Nations
through the Security Council has passed resolutions on areas aand actions related
with conflict to promote peace and security in such areas. resolutions on
sanctions,embargos, the ceasing of air and sea contact, or diplomatic isolation.
Empower member states to react to a crisis. These have limited military weapon
supply, assistance offered to warring groups which has ended in peace to some
areas. when Iraq invade Kuwait ,the Security council passed
Resolutions(661,665,670) imposing mandatory economic and transport sanctions
against Iraq and established implementation committee .in Sudan Darfur resolutions
have limited arms supply which fuels conflicts for example UN security council
resolution 1556(2004) calls on states to : ‘Take necessary measures to prevent the
sale or supply to all non-governmental entities and individuals, including the
Janjaweed, operating in the states of north Darfur, south Darfur ,and west Darfur,
by their nationals or from their territories or using their flag vessels or
aircraft, of arms and related material of all types, including weapons and
ammunition, military vehicles and equipment, paramilitary equipment, and the spare
parts for the aforementioned ,whether or not originating in their territories’ 8
6

Kofi A. Annan, The Question of Intervention, statements by the

secretaryGeneral.,1999,United Nations Department of Public Information,pg.48

United Nations security council (UNSC). (2004).resolution 1556.s/RES/1556.8

October)
Despite the positive role played by United Nations, there have also been negative
roles played by United Nations towards the promotion and maintaince of
international peace and security. United Nations has jeopardises its neutrality and
acts a more of tool of the great powers especially the United States as a puppet.
It actions are sometimes dictated upon by super powers especially united states
which is behind most of United Nations funding. United Nations is a barking dog
without teeth thus do not operate independently to maintain international peace and
security. On the number of occasions United States has invaded peaceful states like
Iraq and Afghanistan without being stopped, condemned or punished by the United
Nations. On a number of occasions the united Nations has been tolerant and
reluctant to act to genocides and insecurities whenever it does nothing to end
them. the a tenweek Rwandan genocide suffering of the Rwandan people sends a clear
signal and unmistaken message that United Nations must Never again be tolerate such
actions in the world over. The United Nations has demonstrated its inefficiency to
respond swiftly and decisively to crises. Sometimes the UN has retreated or
abandoned from peace and security promotion and maintainace exercises For example
the United Nations operation in Somalia was the first United Nations Operations to
be withdrawn by the Security Council before completing its mission in march 1995.
May they are partly to blame for the continued insecurity in Somalia. Consequences
of the united Nations retreat from Somalia or failure to respond to the Genocide in
Rwanda in time and effectively where hundreds of thousands of lives were lost.
failed to promote and maintain peace in some parts of the world, for example
Somalia is still not peaceful up to present. The United Nations has played a
passive and selfish role in promoting peace and security in the world especially in
Africa. The credibility of United Nations to a great extent depends upon the
international community’s or great powers’ willingness to act and to explore new
means of advancing the objectives of peace and security. A country will fund or
offer troops to UN operation with its own interest. For example crisis in Sudan
especially Darfur external countries like china fuel the rebellion supplying
weapons and assistance to Khartoum government which funds paramilitaries like
Janjawed (terror group)and yet is decision maker in United nations peace and
security missions. It is therefore every important that the United Nations
experience in the world be re-examined and lessons extracted that can guide us for
the future.

In conclusion
UN has on number of occasions lacked will, commitment, resources to promote peace
and security. The United Nations will continue being challenged to respond to
diverse threats to international peace and security. Facing these challenges needs
a more commitment, resource and planning. It’s also important for member countries
to reconcile the dilemma of peace missions in the past like Somalia and assess
failures and successes. Missions to build and maintain peace require more than
ending conflicts but developing infrastructural and institutional structures
destroyed by war. Unless the respective governments and their citizens in the world
are genuinely willing to confront the problems that distabilise international peace
and security, there is not much that United Nations can do. United Nations lacks
capacity in terms of expertise and resources to address all problems related to
peace and security that may arise in the world Individual people also play an
essential role in the culture of peace, even at the international level. Indeed,
national organizations and institutions are composed of men and women who produce
standards that can be changed to meet new needs. It is up to each citizen to
establish a culture of peace, beginning at home and working up to international
institutions. Peace in the world is possible and is progressing everywhere.
However, we must all continue to strive to ensure that the progression of peace
continues.Recommend democratising the world in case conflict was caused by
different groups having unequal political power
References 1. A.LeRoy Bennet, ‘International Organisations’ Principles and
Issues,4th ed, united states of America, Prentice-Hall International,inc,1988 2.
Kofi. A. Annan, 1999, The Question of Intervention. Statements by the secretary
General, united Nations department of Public Information, New York pp.2-54 3. Karen
A.Mingst and Margaret P.Karns, 1998 The United Nations in the postCold war Era,2nd
Ed pp.74-113 4. United Nations, The Blue Helmets: a review of the United nations
peacekeeping,3rd ed. New York, UN Department of public information,1996,pp689-776
5. The causes of conflict and the promotion of durable peace and sustainable
development in Africa ,report of the UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan ,April 1998
6. United Nations (http:www.un.org)