The Future of the UN
Written by Quentin Peel
This publication was written by Quentin Peel, journalist for the Financial Times, following the seminar held by the FBC.
This seminar sought to identify the common ground between France and Britain concerning the future of the UN, as well as their differences, while at the same time attempting to set out a clear vision for the future of the UN in a continually changing global geopolitical context. The seminar was held in London, and brought together leading politicians, diplomats, academics and journalists from France and Britain. The Chairmen were Alain Dejammet, former French Ambassador to the UN, and Sir Jeremy Greenstock, former UK Ambassador to the UN. In the first session the seminar revealed a shared analysis of the UN’s unique strengths. Specifically, the UN was a valuable source of legitimacy; it exists and is the “best we have got” in terms of multinational governance; it has the merit of including almost the entire global community. No other international organisation came close to matching these credentials and it has accumulated a fund of experience, norms and principles for encouraging orderly relations between states and sustainable development on a global basis. The discussion on the future of the UN revolved around several themes. These focussed on: prioritising terrorism as the principal threat to global security; controlling the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction; completing the Doha trade round agreement; and working on agreement and coordinated action with the US. In terms of reform of the UN’s institutions, the discussion concentrated on the case for the UN to have a permanent military force; enlargement of the Security Council; increasing the powers of the Secretary General; and ensuring respect for the UN’s own resolutions The main conclusions to come out of the seminar were the following: Despite its shortcomings, the UN was a very important institution for France and the UK; Broad agreement was reached on the range of global problems that the speakers identified, and it was further emphasised that it was imperative to consider the UN as above politics, in order for it to effectively deal with these problems; Reform of the UN system should not be too ambitious, and should aim to strengthen the existing structures and agencies. It was also emphasised that intermediary countries, such as India and Brazil should be given a greater role in the UN, The seminar concluded by throwing a few more questions up for debate, in particular on how to manage the relationship with the US.
Number of pages/format: 20 pp A5
Published: October 2004
ISBN: 0 9546952 1 6