The United Nations at Seventy-Five: Passing the COVID Test?

The complex issues of the twenty-first century cannot be addressed by disparate actors in the global arena. This has become even more apparent in 2020, as we celebrate the seventy-fifth anniversary of the UN and have witnessed the outbreak of the global COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has put the UN...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Ethics & international affairs 2020-01, Vol.34 (4), p.445-456
Main Author: Özler, Ş. İlgü
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Collective action
Cooperation
Coronaviruses
Councils
COVID-19
Ebola virus
Essays
Human rights
International cooperation
International organizations
International relations
Leadership
Liberalism
Nationalism
Pandemics
Peace
Public health
Socioeconomic development
Sovereignty
Special Collection Question
Success
Truces & cease fires
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Summary:The complex issues of the twenty-first century cannot be addressed by disparate actors in the global arena. This has become even more apparent in 2020, as we celebrate the seventy-fifth anniversary of the UN and have witnessed the outbreak of the global COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has put the UN system to the test, demonstrating weaknesses in regard to peace and security, sustainable socioeconomic development, and human rights, the three core mission areas of the organization. The underlying tensions between the ideals of liberalism associated with the UN's human rights and socioeconomic-development agendas and the institution of sovereignty, under nationalist strongman leaders throughout the world, stood in the way of an effective response. This is especially true as powerful states are able to thwart collective action in favor of their own perceived national interests. While the UN and its affiliated agencies, such as the World Health Organization, are still able to foster cooperation, their success is limited by the organization's inability to establish some form of authority and command.
ISSN:0892-6794
1747-7093
DOI:10.1017/S0892679420000568