Evaluate the view that the UN has been an effective means of international
peacekeeping.
The United Nations stands as the world's most comprehensive and powerful intergovernmental
organisation, founded in 1945 it has become a highly respected international organisation with the
United Nations Charter documenting its foundational aims to prevent wars seen in the years prior. The
UN consists of 5 key active institutions often referred to as ‘organs’ which have specific functions to
fulfil the organisation, they are: UN Secretariat, UNSC, UNGA, ICJ and ECOSOC. Within the UN, the
UN Security Council endeavours to ensure international peacekeeping and security, issuing binding
resolutions to all UN member states as well as authorising economic sanctions and military action
when necessary. However in recent years has suffered criticism for selective intervention as well as
applying liberal concepts to politically dissimilar countries, suggesting it is not an effective and efficient
means of international peacekeeping.
It can be argued that the UN has been an effective means of international peacekeeping as
peacekeeping operations have been executed to successfully restore stability and peace to regions
affected by conflict. Two examples of supposed success seen from peacekeeping operations
implemented by the UN is The United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNOMIL) as well as the United
Nations Operation in Cote D’Ivoire (UNOCI) whereby the UN has engaged in order to protect civilians.
UNOMIL was established by the UNSC in 2003 to support the implementation of the ceasefire
agreement and the peace process, whereby there would be assistance in national security reform,
support for human rights and a resconstructed military following two civil wars. Similarly, the UNOCI
was established due to the lack of state authority in the country in West Africa, when civil war erupted
from governmental chaos. During this time of crisis, there was a death of 3000 Ivorians, with 300,000
others becoming refugees. The UN in reaction, deployed over 6000 peacekeepers to Cote D'ivoire
and disarmed 70000 combatants, to ensure a dissolvement of the civil war that divided the country
entirely. Equally in Liberia, over 100,000 combatants were disarmed and security forces were secured
following conflict that led to the death of almost 250,000 people with ⅔ of women also becoming
subject to sexual violence during displacement. As a result of the UN aid both countries have held
peaceful presidential and legislative elections with reestablished justice and security and both facing
economic recovery - demonstrating effective international peacekeeping executed by the United
Nations Security Council. However, it can also be argued that the United Nation does not have full
efficiency in its peacekeeping as there are examples in which it is not achieved as sufficiently as
desired. For example, in operations as seen in the Central African Republic, the effect of
peacekeeping has not guaranteed the end of wars and violence. Sexual expolitation, although less
common, still occurs and it has been argued that missions have reproduced class and racial
hierarchies as well as raised likelyhood of women engaging in transactional sex from a distortion of
local economies. Suggesting although the UN may have achieved some lengths of peacekeeping, it
has not ensured a totally efficient form in restoring peace and stability as there is growing inequality
that could eventually relapse into war. However this argument is less convincing than the initial
argument that the UN has been effective in international peacekeeping as the UNSC has seen 11 out
of 16 civil wars being successfully ended on their mandate. Representing efficiency through none of
the 11 returning to a state of civil war since the United Nations operation reinforcing the idea that
peacekeeping and minimisation of rivalry has been achieved by the UN.
On the contrary, the United Nations can be seen as inefficient in conducting international
peacekeeping due to the fact the actions carried out by the UN are shaped by the concerns of the
members of the UNSC, rather than the interest of the world. The UNSC’s membership is made up of 5
permanent members: China, France, Russia, the UK and the USA, creating one of the most arguably
powerful bodies in international politics that includes the US, the world hegemonic power following the
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