UN outdated and controlled by the great powers
Cards (6)
- Theme 1: For - security council
- great powers dominated and use the veto in their interests of that of their allies
- when they disagree nothing gets done - cold war and now
- is a place to 'grandstand'
- the US bypassed the security council over iraq
- Theme 1: Against
- the SC peacekeeping does some good
- refers human rights abuses to the ICC
- puts sanctions on countries that break the rules, e.g. north korea and iraq
- the SC is meant to act in the interest of peace that's why it consists of the great powers - who balance against one another
- also has 10 other non permanent members
- Theme 2: For - general assembly
- the GA is talking shop, its resolutions are voluntary and not mandatory on other members
- its annual meeting, of heads of states, is a bit of a farce. leaders use the opportunity to make propaganda
- the GA is pretty powerless and cannot pass resolutions on security matters
- Theme 2: Against
- it follows the idea of diplomacy, the more you talk the less you fight
- often it can stand up to the SC - eg. making palestine a non-permanent member
- it brings countries together
- Theme 3: For - economic and social role of UN
- seats on the council are based on geographical representation with 18 allocated to african states, 13 to asian, 8 to east europe, 13 to latin america and caribbean states and 13 to west europe and other states
- specialised agencies include: IMF ; world bank ; international civil aviation organisation ; international labor office ; UN education, scientific and cultural organisations ; united nations children's fund ; united nations high commissioner for refugees ; united nations environmental programme
- Theme 3: Against
- the cost of this overstretch are most evident today in the field of emergency response
- ww2 - 60 million refugees and internally displaced persons around the globe, member states have provided UN agencies like the world food program barely hold the funds they urgently need to respond