Today is the 77th anniversary of the United Nations (UN). The UN, formed and became operational on this day (October 24) in 1945, in San Francisco, California, the US, was established to, among other things, foster global peace and stability. It was the outcome of World War (II), which was fought from 1939 to 1945.
Before the UN, there was the League of Nations, which came into existence on January 10, 1920, after the World War (I) of 1914 to 1918. Failure of the League of Nations to maintain peace and stability, which led to another world war, necessitated the formation of the United Nations. The headquarters of the organization is in New York.
What is known today as the international organization holding together all the independent nations of the world, close to 200, started with just 51 countries, after the second world war.  The core objectives of the UN Charter were to keep peace throughout the world, to develop friendly relations among nations, to help nations work together to improve the lives of poor people, in order to conquer hunger, disease and illiteracy, encouraging respect for each other’s rights and freedoms and to be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations to achieve these goals.
The global organization is given the nod for having sustained global peace and stability for nearly eight decades. It was a feat the League of Nations could not boast of, leading to its collapse in barely two decades. About three possible world wars have been averted by the organization since it was formed, saving the global community from doom.
In addition to ensuring global peace, the organization is also given credit for emancipation and decolonization of many countries across the world. The organization saw massive independence of many countries, leading to a colossal increase in its membership base, as it is meant for independent nations. It also stands for the respect of territorial sovereignty of its member states.
The organization has tried to ensure that people’s rights have always been respected, while ensuring that the world is safe for all to live in. That is why the Charter on Human Rights was declared universally. Through various organs and specialized agencies of the UN, including the Security Council, the World Health Organisation, the United Nations Children’s Fund, among others, it has tried to improve the wellbeing and safety of people who have humanitarian concerns.
Despite its efforts and achievements, the organization has been accused of many things which tend to slow down its success story. The ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, as well other forms of violence, has shown that the UN is not so effective in managing global peace and security. Such ugly situations further aggravate already worsened humanitarian concerns, as decline in food supply and movement of refugees are inevitable. In addition, the takeover of government in Afghanistan by the Taliban seems to motivate other terror and insurgency groups across the world.
One of the things the organization is accused of is hypocrisy. The organization seems to have different strokes for different folks in her effort towards maintaining global peace. Furthermore, it seems to be selective in its approach to responding to the concerns of various countries. It also adopts some principles that are antidemocratic. One of such is having five permanent members at the Security Council that has a total of fifteen members. This implies that out of the 193 members of the organization, 188 will keep jostling for the remaining ten slots. In addition to that, the five permanent members have veto power, which means that they can override the decision of the General Assembly.
Another crucial area of weakness of the UN is in its agenda for climate change, which has contributed to loss of millions of lives and properties. Despite identifying the threat since 1972 and working towards tackling it, nothing much has been achieved. In addition, the Paris Agreement on climate change, signed in 2015, is yet to yield any result. Similarly, the organization has no defined and implemented norm and policy for human rights. Thus, several regions still decide what they choose to respect and ultimately, some countries violate them till date.
However, the organization has launched a campaign, last year, September 10 precisely, titled “Our Common Agenda”. That is what it still focuses on as it celebrates 77 this year, in her effort to achieve her dream for 2030. The campaign was born out of the global instability caused by the pandemic, which exposed the inability of the world to remain stable in the face of severe challenges. The Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres was mandated, after the 75th anniversary in 2020, to come up with recommendations. The recommendation is what he titled “Our Common Agenda”.
It contains recommendations across four broad areas for renewed solidarity between peoples and future generations, a new social contract anchored in human rights, better management of critical global commons, and global public goods that deliver equitably and sustainably for all. It is also aimed at fostering international cooperation and renewal of commitment to the UN Charter.
Marking this 77th anniversary, the Secretary-General has stated that, “The United Nations is the product of hope. The hope — and resolve — following the Second World War to move beyond global conflict to global cooperation. Today, our organization is being tested like never before. But the United Nations was made for moments like this.
Now, more than ever, we need to bring to life the values and principles of the UN Charter in every corner of the world. By giving peace a chance and ending conflicts that jeopardize lives, futures and global progress. By working to end extreme poverty, reduce inequalities, and rescue the Sustainable Development Goals. By safeguarding our planet, including by breaking our addiction to fossil fuels and kick-starting the renewable energy revolution. And by finally balancing the scales of opportunity and freedom for women and girls and ensuring human rights for all. As we mark UN Day, let us renew our hope and conviction in what humanity can achieve when we work as one, in global solidarity.”