Thoughtful critique of UN in the age of global challenges Op-ed by Re-Azerbaijan founder, Adnan Huseyn

Adnan Huseyn, founder of re-Azerbaijan, has recently shared a thread on X on the presently dysfunctional nature of the UN. Caliber.Az presents his reflections on the subject.

When the UN was formed out of the ashes of World War II, it was imbued with the high hopes of fostering peace and preventing future conflicts. Yet, as history’s pages have turned, this noble institution has too often found itself mired in challenges and criticisms, particularly for its hesitancy in critical global moments.

At the heart of these challenges lies the question of effectiveness. Take, for example, the UN’s monitoring missions. Deployed to conflict zones with a mandate to oversee and report, these missions have too frequently been reduced to the role of observers, witnessing atrocities they are powerless to stop.

The tragedy of the Rwandan Genocide in 1994 stands as a painful testament to this reality. Despite the presence of UN peacekeepers, an unfathomable loss of life occurred. This incident starkly illuminated the limitations of UN monitoring when faced with the urgent need for decisive action. Equally troubling is the UN’s track record in enforcing its resolutions.

The former longstanding Azerbaijani-Armenian conflict serves as a case in point. The UN Security Council’s resolutions demanding the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of Armenian occupying forces from Azerbaijan’s internationally recognized territories were clear, yet they remained largely unenforced, emblematic of a pattern where resolutions, despite their moral weight, lack the mechanisms or the collective will for enforcement.

Perhaps most concerning is the issue of veto power within the UN Security Council. The handling of the Crimea crisis in 2014 revealed how this power can be wielded to prioritize national interest over global peace and security.

Russia’s veto of a resolution condemning its annexation of Crimea was a moment that not only challenged the principles of international law but also set a precedent that contributed to further conflict in Ukraine. This situation underscores the Council’s challenges in moving beyond the interests of its permanent members to protect the greater global good.

These examples do more than highlight instances of inaction; they reveal a deeper issue of double standards and hypocrisy. The UN’s effectiveness is too often hamstrung by political maneuvering, undermining its role as an impartial global peacekeeper and its commitment to the principles upon which it was founded.

This troubling pattern is not just a relic of the past but is glaringly evident in ongoing conflicts, such as those in Ukraine and Israel-Palestine. In these situations, the UN continues to grapple with the same challenges, as innocent people, particularly children, bear the unbearable cost of prolonged conflict and inaction.

It is clear that for the UN to truly live up to its founding ideals and serve as a beacon of hope for all nations, significant reform is necessary. Such reform must encompass both the structural mechanisms of the UN and its approach to conflict resolution and humanitarian aid. Only through comprehensive reform can the United Nations evolve into an institution capable of decisive, equitable action, unburdened by the political constraints that have historically impeded its effectiveness.

1/12 When the @UN was formed out of the ashes of World War II, it was imbued with the high hopes of fostering peace and preventing future conflicts. Yet, as history’s pages have turned, this noble institution has too often found itself mired in challenges and pic.twitter.com/TIvJW6KvTO

— Adnan Huseyn (@adnanhuseyn) November 19, 2023

Adnan Huseyn