The United Nations was established in 1945 by the victorious powers of World War II. Despite the confrontational nature of the bipolar world system, it established a relatively successful world order. However, its collapse began at a time when expectations for the organization were at their peak. The United States, the architect of the organization, turned its back on the U.N. because it believes the organization no longer serves its interests.
The most recent U.N. General Assembly (UNGA), held in New York from Sept. 22 to 28, showed that the prospect of making the U.N. functional and effective again is diminishing day by day. The theme of the 81st session of the UNGA was “Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: A United Nations That Delivers for All.”
Today, the U.N. is unable to restore global trust because it has failed to find solutions to major regional and global crises. Furthermore, it is unable to effectively manage the ongoing global transformation. As every state is preoccupied with saving itself and maximizing its national interests, states have started to ignore global interdependence. Unfortunately, the projects developed under this mandate, such as "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) and "Make Europe Great Again" (MEGA), are mostly destructive rather than constructive.
More than 130 heads of state and government attended the meeting to deliver their message to the world. The primary goal of world leaders is to announce their states' agendas to the global public. They want to be understood. However, the global powers, namely, the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, do not want to relinquish their privileged positions. Consequently, the U.N. Security Council has lost much of its effectiveness and, therefore, much of its significance. The UNGA has taken its place; however, the decisions it adopts are not binding. As a result, the U.N. has lost much of its meaning and effectiveness. Overall, the U.N.’s executive power has been destroyed.
The reality of today’s world is simple. The threats facing humanity as a whole can only be met and overcome through collective efforts. No state can overcome the threats it faces on its own. On the other hand, if the boundless wealth of one state is achieved at the cost of the unbearable poverty of others, no one will be safe. Therefore, all states, whether small or large, will need a global order in which the behavior of key actors is predictable.
All states know very well that the worst peace is better than the best war. The world and the international public opinion are exhausted and fed up; they want to be free of these hardships. Most leaders have emphasized the importance of the U.N. and the global order it established.
However, the recent meeting indicated that it is unlikely that the U.N. will change its stance in the near future. The host country, the U.S., did not allow Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas to attend the meeting. Denying Abbas a visa, the leader of the most suffering nation in the world, is one of the greatest acts of lawlessness and lack of conscience on earth. Palestinians subjected to genocide were not allowed to make their voices heard by the world. It was ironic to see that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, against whom the International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant, was allowed to speak at the UNGA. This is also an indication that the U.N. has gone bankrupt.
Therefore, one of the biggest ironies of today’s world is that global powers call for a predictable global order. They do not want international norms and rules to constrain their foreign policies. They do not want to be constrained. Despite being the ones who violate international rules and norms, the global powers continue to use the U.N. system as a tool against weaker parties.
As President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has stated in numerous speeches, this situation will persist until a more just world order is established. This is a main precondition for global interdependence and the implementation of a win-win strategy. It seems that the world will continue to need greater fairness in international organizations.
