UN’s Failure in Peacekeeping: Erdoğan’s Critique on UNSC Reforms for UPSC 2026

23 Sep UN’s Failure in Peacekeeping: Erdoğan’s Critique on UNSC Reforms for UPSC 2026

✎ The United Nations, founded in 1945, faces systemic challenges in fulfilling its mandate of maintaining international peace and security, primarily due to the veto power of the P5 in the Security Council, necessitating urgent…

Subject Relevance — Where This Topic Fits

• GS Paper II — International Relations — Structure and Functioning of the United Nations
• Prelims: United Nations Charter, UN Security Council, P5 veto power, UN General Assembly, UN Reform, International Peace and Security, Sovereignty, Multilateralism
• Essay: The Role of the United Nations in the 21st Century: Challenges and Reforms, Multilateralism vs. Unilateralism in Global Governance

Quick Revision: The United Nations, founded in 1945, faces systemic challenges in fulfilling its mandate of maintaining international peace and security, primarily due to the veto power of the P5 in the Security Council, necessitating urgent reforms to restore its efficacy and legitimacy.

Why is this in the news?

The statement by the President of Türkiye at the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, highlighting the Organisation’s perceived inability to fulfil its mandate of maintaining international peace and security, has brought renewed attention to the systemic challenges facing the UN, particularly the inefficacy of its decision-making structures and the need for comprehensive reform.

Background

• The United Nations was established on 24 October 1945 under the Charter of the United Nations, succeeding the failed League of Nations, with the primary objectives of maintaining international peace and security, promoting human rights, fostering social and economic development, and upholding international law.
• The UN system comprises six principal organs: the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council, the Trusteeship Council, the International Court of Justice, and the Secretariat, with the Security Council vested with primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security.
• The Security Council consists of five permanent members (P5) — China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States — each holding veto power, and ten non-permanent members elected by the General Assembly for two-year terms.
• The veto power of the P5 has historically been a contentious issue, often leading to paralysis in the Council on critical global conflicts, as seen in cases such as the Syrian civil war, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and the Israel-Palestine crisis.
• The UN has faced criticism for its perceived inability to prevent or resolve major conflicts, particularly in regions such as Gaza, Sudan, Myanmar, and Ukraine, where civilian casualties and humanitarian crises have escalated despite the Organisation’s stated mandate.
• Calls for UN reform, particularly of the Security Council, have gained momentum in recent decades, with growing demands for expansion of permanent membership, representation of underrepresented regions, and limitation or abolition of the veto power.

What is the United Nations and its Role in Global Governance?

• The United Nations is an intergovernmental organisation established to promote international cooperation and maintain peace and security among nations, succeeding the League of Nations after World War II.
• The UN Charter, signed on 26 June 1945 in San Francisco, serves as the Organisation’s foundational treaty, outlining its purposes, principles, and institutional framework.
• The Security Council is the UN’s most powerful organ, responsible for determining the existence of threats to peace and taking enforcement actions, including the imposition of sanctions or authorisation of military interventions.
• The General Assembly is the UN’s main deliberative body, comprising all 193 member states, and serves as a forum for debate, policy-making, and coordination on global issues, though its resolutions are generally non-binding.
• The veto power of the P5 in the Security Council enables any permanent member to block substantive decisions, including those related to peacekeeping operations, sanctions, or military interventions, often leading to inaction in critical crises.
• The UN’s peacekeeping operations, authorised by the Security Council, deploy military and civilian personnel to conflict zones to monitor ceasefires, protect civilians, and support political processes.
• The Organisation’s humanitarian agencies, such as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the World Food Programme (WFP), and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), provide critical assistance in conflict and disaster-affected regions.
• The UN’s development agenda, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), aims to address global challenges such as poverty, inequality, climate change, and health crises, though progress has been uneven across regions.

Key Features

Feature	Significance
UN Security Council Structure	The Security Council’s permanent membership (P5) with veto power creates asymmetry in decision-making, limiting the UN’s ability to respond effectively to global crises.
Veto Power Dynamics	The veto power of permanent members often paralyses the UN’s peacekeeping and conflict-resolution mechanisms, as seen in prolonged conflicts like Gaza and Ukraine.
General Assembly Role	The General Assembly, representing 193 member states, lacks binding authority, reducing its ability to enforce resolutions or counterbalance P5 dominance.
International Law Enforcement	Selective application of international law, particularly in cases involving powerful states, erodes trust in the UN’s impartiality and effectiveness.
Reform Proposals	Calls for UN reform, including Security Council expansion and veto restrictions, aim to restore credibility and adapt the institution to contemporary geopolitical realities.

Why it Matters

Global Governance

• The UN’s inability to prevent or resolve major conflicts undermines the foundational principle of collective security enshrined in the UN Charter (Article 1).
• Persistent failures in conflict zones (e.g., Gaza, Sudan, Ukraine) highlight systemic weaknesses in the UN’s institutional architecture, particularly the Security Council’s veto system.
• The erosion of trust in multilateral institutions risks exacerbating unilateralism and regional fragmentation, as states seek alternative mechanisms for security and diplomacy.

Humanitarian Impact

• Large-scale civilian casualties and displacement in conflict zones (e.g., Gaza, Darfur) reflect the UN’s limited capacity to protect vulnerable populations under its mandate.
• The disappointment expressed by affected populations underscores the gap between the UN’s ideals and its operational realities, particularly in peacekeeping and humanitarian assistance.

Geopolitical Implications

• The dominance of P5 interests in Security Council decisions often leads to inaction or delayed responses, as seen in prolonged conflicts where vetoes are exercised.
• Calls for reform, such as the ‘The world is bigger than five’ narrative, reflect growing dissatisfaction among non-permanent members and smaller states with the current power structure.

Legal and Normative Frameworks

• The selective enforcement of international law, particularly in cases involving permanent members, challenges the universality of legal norms and undermines the UN’s legitimacy.
• The UN’s failure to hold perpetrators of atrocities accountable (e.g., in Myanmar, Sudan) risks normalizing impunity, which is antithetical to the principles of the UN Charter.

Challenges

1. Veto Power and Security Council Paralysis

• The veto power of permanent members often results in inaction or delayed responses to crises, as seen in conflicts like Gaza and Ukraine.
• Reform proposals to restrict or eliminate the veto face resistance from permanent members, limiting the feasibility of institutional change.
• The asymmetry in decision-making power between P5 and non-permanent members undermines the UN’s credibility as an impartial arbiter of global peace.

UPSC Link: UN Charter Article 27 (Veto Power)

2. Selective Enforcement of International Law

• The application of international law is often inconsistent, with powerful states facing fewer consequences for violations compared to weaker states.
• This selective enforcement erodes trust in the UN’s ability to uphold justice and undermines the principle of equal sovereignty among states (UN Charter Article 2(1)).
• The normalization of impunity in conflict zones (e.g., Darfur, Myanmar) risks exacerbating cycles of violence and displacement.

UPSC Link: UN Charter Article 2(1) (Sovereign Equality)

3. Limited Authority of the General Assembly

• The General Assembly, while representative, lacks binding authority, reducing its ability to enforce resolutions or counterbalance the Security Council’s dominance.
• This structural limitation hampers the UN’s ability to respond effectively to crises, as seen in the inability to address conflicts like Gaza or Sudan promptly.
• Calls for expanding the General Assembly’s powers face resistance from permanent members wary of diluting their influence.

UPSC Link: UN Charter Article 10-17 (General Assembly Powers)

4. Geopolitical Fragmentation and Multilateralism Erosion

• The UN’s inability to resolve major conflicts contributes to a decline in multilateralism, as states increasingly turn to regional alliances or unilateral actions for security.
• This fragmentation risks undermining the UN’s role as the primary forum for international cooperation and conflict resolution.
• The rise of alternative institutions (e.g., BRICS, regional blocs) further dilutes the UN’s authority and effectiveness.

UPSC Link: UN Charter Preamble (Collective Security)

5. Humanitarian and Peacekeeping Failures

• The UN’s peacekeeping missions and humanitarian assistance are often constrained by political divisions, lack of resources, or mandates that are too narrow to address complex crises.
• The failure to protect civilians in conflict zones (e.g., Gaza, Darfur) reflects systemic weaknesses in the UN’s operational capacity and political will.
• This undermines the UN’s legitimacy as a guardian of human rights and humanitarian principles.

UPSC Link: UN Charter Chapter VI (Pacific Settlement of Disputes)

Challenges — UPSC Perspective

Issue	Concern
Veto Power in Security Council	Paralysis in decision-making, delayed responses to crises, and erosion of trust in the UN’s impartiality.
Selective Enforcement of International Law	Normalization of impunity, undermining of legal norms, and loss of credibility in the UN’s justice mechanisms.
Limited Authority of General Assembly	Inability to enforce resolutions, structural imbalance with Security Council, and reduced effectiveness in crisis response.
Geopolitical Fragmentation	Decline in multilateralism, rise of alternative institutions, and dilution of the UN’s authority as the primary forum for global cooperation.
Humanitarian and Peacekeeping Failures	Inability to protect civilians, constrained operational capacity, and loss of legitimacy in humanitarian interventions.
Reform Resistance	Opposition from permanent members to structural changes, limiting the feasibility of institutional adaptation to contemporary challenges.

Way Forward

• Strengthen the UN’s conflict-resolution mechanisms by exploring alternatives to the veto power, such as the ‘Uniting for Peace’ resolution (UNGA Resolution 377) to bypass Security Council deadlocks.
• Promote the expansion of the Security Council to include more permanent and non-permanent members, ensuring better representation of regional and global interests.
• Enhance the authority of the General Assembly by granting it greater powers to initiate binding resolutions on humanitarian crises and peacekeeping operations.
• Advocate for the universal application of international law by establishing an independent commission to investigate and recommend accountability measures for violations, regardless of the perpetrator’s power.
• Increase funding and resources for UN peacekeeping missions, ensuring they are adequately equipped to protect civilians and address complex conflicts.
• Encourage greater collaboration between the UN and regional organizations (e.g., African Union, ASEAN) to leverage their expertise and resources in conflict resolution.
• Support initiatives to reform the UN’s institutional architecture, including proposals to limit the use of the veto in cases of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes.

UPSC Value Addition

Prelims Practice Questions

Q1. Consider the following statements about the United Nations Security Council (UNSC):
1. The UNSC consists of 5 permanent members and 10 non-permanent members.
2. Permanent members of the UNSC possess the power of veto.
3. Non-permanent members are elected by the UN General Assembly for a term of 5 years.
4. The UNSC is responsible for maintaining international peace and security.

How many of the above statements are correct?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. Only three
4. All

Answer: Only three — Statements 1, 2, and 4 are correct. Statement 3 is incorrect as non-permanent members are elected for a term of 2 years, not 5 years.

Q2. Assertion (A): The United Nations General Assembly elects the non-permanent members of the UN Security Council.
Reason (R): The UN Charter grants the General Assembly the authority to elect all members of the UNSC, including permanent members.

In the context of the above statements, which of the following is correct?

1. Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A
2. Both A and R are true, but R is NOT the correct explanation of A
3. A is true, but R is false
4. A is false, but R is true

Answer: A is true, but R is false — Assertion (A) is true as the General Assembly elects non-permanent members. Reason (R) is false because permanent members are not elected by the General Assembly but are determined historically and by the UN Charter.

Q3. Match the following columns related to the United Nations:

Column I (UN Organs) | Column II (Functions)
———————|——————-
A. UN Security Council | 1. Elects the UN Secretary-General
B. UN General Assembly | 2. Maintains international peace and security
C. International Court of Justice | 3. Adjudicates disputes between states
D. Economic and Social Council | 4. Coordinates economic, social, and environmental policies

Select the correct match:

1. A-2, B-1, C-3, D-4
2. A-1, B-2, C-3, D-4
3. A-3, B-2, C-1, D-4
4. A-2, B-4, C-3, D-1

Answer: A-2, B-1, C-3, D-4 — Correct matches are: A-2 (UNSC maintains peace and security), B-1 (General Assembly elects the Secretary-General), C-3 (ICJ adjudicates disputes), D-4 (ECOSOC coordinates policies).

Mains Practice Question

✍ The United Nations, established to maintain international peace and security, has increasingly been criticised for its inability to fulfil this core mandate in contemporary geopolitics. Critically examine the structural and procedural limitations of the UN system that impede its effectiveness. Also assess the feasibility of reforming the UN Security Council to address these challenges. (15 Marks)

Approach: MODEL-ANSWER SKELETON:
1. **Introduction**: Briefly state the UN’s founding purpose (Charter, Article 1) and the current perception of its effectiveness in maintaining peace and security, citing the Turkish President’s remarks as contemporary context.

2. **Structural Limitations**:
– **Veto Power**: Explain the veto power of permanent members (UN Charter, Article 27) and how it paralyses decision-making in crises (e.g., Syria, Ukraine, Gaza).
– **Composition**: Discuss the outdated representation of the UNSC (1945 structure) and the demand for equitable representation (e.g., G4, African Union positions).
– **Enforcement Gaps**: Highlight the lack of binding mechanisms to enforce UNSC resolutions (e.g., non-compliance in Darfur, Myanmar).

3. **Procedural Limitations**:
– **Consensus Requirement**: Explain the need for unanimity among permanent members for substantive decisions, leading to inaction.
– **Politicisation**: Discuss how geopolitical rivalries (e.g., US-Russia, China-India) undermine collective security efforts.

4. **Reform Proposals and Feasibility**:
– **Expansion of UNSC**: Outline proposals for permanent membership expansion (e.g., G4 model, African Union demand) and challenges (e.g., veto retention, regional rivalries).
– **Veto Restriction**: Discuss ideas like voluntary veto restraint (France’s proposal) or abolition of veto in cases of genocide/crimes against humanity.
– **Alternative Mechanisms**: Mention the role of the UN General Assembly (Uniting for Peace resolution, UNGA Resolution 377) and regional organisations (e.g., African Union Peace and Security Council) as supplementary frameworks.

5. **Conclusion**: Weigh the prospects of reform against geopolitical realities. Argue that while structural changes are necessary, the lack of political will among major powers remains the biggest obstacle. Conclude with a balanced view on incremental reforms (e.g., expansion without veto expansion) versus radical transformation.

Source: news.un.org

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