The United Nations and Contemporary Global Governance

There are many sources of global governance. States sign treaties and form organizations in the
process legislating public international law. International non- governmental organizations (NGOs )
though not having formal state power , can lobby individual state to behave in a certain way. Powerful
transnational corporations can likewise have tremendous effects on global labor laws, environmental
legislation, trade policy and many more. Even ideas such as the need for “global democracy” or the
clamor for “good governance “ can influence the ways international actors behave.

What is an International Organization?

Groups like UN or institutions like the IMF and the World Bank are usually called as International
Organization. In 1960’s and 19970’s, many scholars believed that IOs were just venues where the
contradicting, but sometimes intersecting, agendas of countries were discussed. However in the recent
years, IOs showed that this IOs can take on lives of their own. IOs thus become influential as
independent organizations. IOs can also be sources of great good and great harm. The most visible
symbols of global governance.

Powers of IOs
 Power of classification -----because they can invent and apply categories, they create powerful
global standards.
 Power to fix meanings-------- legitimate sources of information
 Power to diffuse norms

Five Active Organs of the UN

1. The General Assembly ----- (GA) UN’s main deliberative policy making and representative
organ. Its functions are the following:
 Decisions on important questions, such as those on peace and security
 Admission of new members
 Budgetary matters --- two thirds majority of the GA. Decisions on other questions are done
by simple majority.
 Annually , the Gener4al Assembly elects a GA president to serve a one year term of office.

All member states ( 193) have seats in the GA. Carlos Romulo was elected GA president from 1949 –
1950. GA is the most representative organization in the UN.

2. The Security Council (SC)

 The most powerful
 Consists of 15 member states
 GA elects 10 of these 15 to two- year terms
 The other five sometimes refer to as the Permanent 5 (P5) are China, France, Russia,
United kingdom, and the United States.
 P5 has been permanent members since the founding of the UN and cannot be replaced
through election.
 SC takes the lead in determining the existence of a threat to the peace or an act of
aggression. Recommends methods of adjustment or terms or settlement.
 In some cases can resort in imposing sanctions or even authorizing the use of force to
maintain or restore international peace and security.
THE P5
 Have permanent seat
 Holds veto power. One veto vote from P5 member can stop SC action dead in its track.

3. Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)

 Principal body for coordination
 Policy review
 Policy dialogue
 Recommendations on social and environmental issues.
  Implementation of internationally agreed development goals
 Has 54 members elected for three- year terms
 Currently it is the UN’s central platform discussions on sustainable development

4. International Court of Justice

 Settle in accordance with international law

5. The Secratariat
 Consists of Secretary- General and tens of thousands of International UN staff members
 Day to day work of the UN as mandated by the General Assembly
 They serve as UN employees and not as state representative.

The biggest challenge of the United Nations is related to issues of security