UNIT 3 UNITED NATIONS AND PEACE-KEEPING
pursuance of this objective, use of force, except in common interest, must be avoided.
2. To develop friendly relations among nations based upon the principle that human beings have definite rights and are capable of determining their affairs themselves.
3. To cooperate in solving international economic, social and cultural problems and the eradication of the root cause of war.
4. To unite in the fulfillment of these objectives in good faith.
You will recall that some criticisms have been leveled against the UN for not living up to the objectives it set for itself in some areas, but it is necessary to have a holistic view of the scenario to be able to proffer some salient ways forward. When assessing the performance of the United Nations on peace-keeping, a brief re-visit to what had transpired in the past would assist in this regard.
Note that some organisations were earlier set up to douse tension in the international system such as the Concert of Europe and the League of Nations. By and large, their failures led to the establishment of the UN since 1945. As no human institution is infallible, the United Nations has not performed badly.
The United Nations, since its establishment, has engaged in peace-searching activities in several parts of the world. Its first peace-keeping mission in Africa was in Congo, then known as Congo Leopoldville or Belgian Congo when mutiny and violence were rife. The presence of the United Nations peace-keeping force there was at the instance of the Congolese Government. Although, incursion of ideological inclination between the East and the West played a disturbing role there, the country still remains on the map today through the UN intervention. The United Nations equally made its impact felt in the Indo-Pakistani war over Kashmir which was successfully prosecuted. Today, Kashmir is reaping the fruits of self determination. The Korean war of 1950s is another pat on the back of the UN. The UN waded into the protracted Middle East Crisis since 1956 by calling on member-states to contribute troops to the Middle East Peace-keeping force to separate British, French and Israeli forces on one hand, and on the other hand, the Egyptian armed forces in the Suez Canal. Although peace has not finally returned but there is steady progress through peace-building mechanisms put in place. The UN has equally operated in states like Ethiopia and Eritrea over Ogadan region, Mozambique, Angola and Rwanda, amongst others.
Towards building sustainable peace, the UN has eradicated racial discrimination in Southern Africa and Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe.
Namibia is now an independent sovereign African state. The United
Nations is aware that efforts must be geared towards pre-conflict peace building and towards this; self reliance through economic, social and political independence is being pursued. In line with this objective, the international economic order, a body of United Nations resolutions i.e.
the General Assembly resolution 3201 (S-VI) of 16th May, 1974 and Resolution 256 (x11) adopted in Nairobi on 28th February, 1975, was developed. The objectives of the new International Economic Order were the eradication of mass poverty, mass unemployment and growing food deficit prevalent in the world, especially the third world.
The United Nations, conscious of the need to build pre-conflict peace structures, has been involved in areas of offering aids to countries in distress, through its agencies. Although, teaching a state how to fish is better than giving fish to a state, nevertheless, it is still a peace-building process which could douse tension and reduce to the barest minimum aggravation of a tensed situation.
4.0 CONCLUSION
The United Nations has been actively involved in the promotion of international peace and order between states, by resisting aggression between them and within states, and attempting to resolve disputes within them. Where conflicts arise that are capable of disrupting world peace, peace-keepers, at the instance of the warring states, are sent. The maintenance of world peace and security remains sacrosanct while pre-conflict peace-building activities, through the U.N. agencies are being vigorously pursued.
5.0 SUMMARY
This unit has looked into the activities of the United Nations with respect to the successes or failures in its peace-keeping missions. On the whole the UN has achieved great feats in its mandate to date.
6.0 TUTOR-MARKED ASSIGNMENT
Discuss the UN peace-keeping mission in the Congo in the 1960s.
7.0 REFERENCES/FURTHER READINGS
Adele, B.J. (1995). Political Science and Government. Lagos: Mikky Press.
Albert I.O. (2001). Building Peace, Advancing Democracy: Peaceful Transformation Forum. Ibadan: John Archers.
Albert, I.O. (2001). Building Peace, Advancing Democracy: Experience with Third Party Intervention in Nigeria’s Conflicts. Ibadan: John Archers.
Albert, I.O. (2001). Introduction to Third Party Intervention in Community Conflicts. Ibadan: John Archers.
Baylis, J. and Smith, S. (2001). The Globalisation of World Politics.
Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Claude, I.L. (JR.) (1971). Swords into Plowshares: The Problems and Progress of International Organisations. New York: Random House.
Fisher, S. et al, (2000).Working with Conflict. London: Zed Books.