• Home
• /
• Opinion

UN’s road to reform

Meanwhile, the new US ambassador to the UN, John Bolton, has threatened to derail the reform process by demanding, extensive, last-minute revisions. Mr Bolton circulated a letter this week demanding renegotiation of a draft text that would commit UN members to aggressive action on poverty reduction, climate change and nuclear disarmament.

At the same time, the US wants to maintain those parts of the text that would strengthen the definition of terrorism, fund pro-democracy initiatives and reform the administration of the world body. UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has urged leaders to endorse the most sweeping changes to the world body since its inception 60 years ago.

Most of the world leaders are not surprised by Bolton’s intervention, given the long-time resistance of the US to economic, social and environmental priorities of the UN. For its part, Canada has championed a change, which would lay down clear guidelines for the Security Council to take military action against regimes that cannot or will not protect their citizens from genocide or ethnic cleansing. The UN aim to improve its handling of development, security and human rights issues will see the leaders debate on several key issues.

Beyond the vexed issue of membership which has been dogging the world body for some time now, reform proposals include changes in the Security Council’s procedures and working methods, and other steps to make the Council more transparent and accountable. The US disenchantment with the world body stems from the fact that some countries, which it says have committed human rights violations can sit in judgement of others.

The US supports Japan for the SC membership, other claimants being Israel, Brazil, Germany and India. On October 21, a top US official Kim Holmes will deliver a major address reflecting this disenchantment. The UN is indeed in some sort of a crisis now. How it will tide this challenge remains to be seen. But hopefully, it will not be a long road to reform.