United Nations Security Council: Guardian of Global Peace or an Institution in Crisis?
Keywords:
United Nations Security Council, Veto Power, Constructivism, Global Security, ReformAbstract
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC), established to maintain global peace and security, has faced increasing criticism for its inability to address contemporary crises effectively. The UNSC’s decision-making process, particularly the veto power held by the five permanent members (P5), has often led to inaction during critical conflicts, undermining its role as a guardian of peace. Furthermore, the emergence of non-traditional security threats, such as climate change, cyberattacks, and terrorism, has revealed the UNSC’s limited capacity to address these new global challenges. The ongoing debate on whether the UNSC is still an effective institution or an institution in crisis is central to the study, exploring the disconnect between its original mandate and its current performance.. The study was anchored in the theoretical framework of constructivism. A qualitative research design was employed, utilizing content analysis of case studies, UNSC resolutions, and scholarly literature to explore the UNSC’s effectiveness and challenges in addressing modern global security threats. The findings revealed that the UNSC has struggled to adapt to modern security challenges, with its decision-making process often hindered by the veto power of the P5. The Council’s failure to address humanitarian crises and emerging global threats has eroded its legitimacy. Reform proposals, including the expansion of membership and modification of the veto system, have gained traction as necessary steps to restore the UNSC’s relevance and effectiveness. The UNSC’s inability to respond decisively to contemporary crises has led to growing dissatisfaction within the international community. It was recommended that the UNSC undergo significant reform, including the modification or abolition of the veto power, to enable more democratic and effective decision-making processes that reflect contemporary global power dynamics.
References
Antonescu, M. V. (2018). From the international law of peace to the global law of peace. Logos, Universality, Mentality, Education, Novelty, 3(1), 49–61.
Barnett, M., & Finnemore, M. (2004). Rules for the world: International organizations in global politics. Cornell University Press.
Bellamy, A. J., & Williams, P. (Eds.). (2014). Peace operations and global order. Routledge.
Bevzov, M. (2023). Problems of reforming the UN in the context of the international security crisis (Doctoral dissertation).
Checkel, J. T. (2020). Constructivism and international institutions. In Oxford Research Encyclopedia of International Studies.
Cox, R. W. (2022). Global governance and the future of the United Nations Security Council. International Relations Review, 47(3), 215–230.
Firchow, P. (2020). World peace is local peace. Ethics & International Affairs, 34(1), 57–65.
Gowan, R. (2020). The United Nations Security Council and the challenge of reform: A critique of the veto system. International Politics Journal, 36(2), 99–115.
Hanhimäki, J. M. (2015). The United Nations: A very short introduction. Oxford University Press.
Hassan, T. U., et al. (2024). Climate change: Non-traditional security threats for Pakistan. International Journal of Learner Diversity and Identities, 31(1).
Hastings, T. (2020). Non-traditional security threats and the UNSC: Climate change and cyber threats. Global Security Journal, 44(1), 45–62.
Hosli, M. O., & Dörfler, T. (2020). The United Nations Security Council: History, current composition, and reform proposals. In International Relations (pp. 299–320). Springer International Publishing.
Kerr, P. (2019). The limitations of the United Nations Security Council: The case of Syria. Journal of International Law and Politics, 51(4), 1037–1052.
Kuchyk, O., et al. (2024). Effectiveness of the decision-making process in international security organizations in the context of international crises. Pakistan Journal of Criminology, 16(2).
Lynch, C. (2021). The Syrian crisis and the failure of the UNSC: An examination of veto power in action. Journal of Peace Studies, 18(2), 156–174.
Melling, G., & Dennett, A. (2017). The Security Council veto and Syria: Responding to mass atrocities through the ‘Uniting for Peace’ resolution. Indian Journal of International Law, 57(3), 285–307.
Mingst, K. A., Karns, M. P., & Lyon, A. J. (2022). The United Nations in the 21st century. Routledge.
Opanasenko, O. (n.d.). Prospects for UN Security Council reform. ЗС, 35(1), 96.
Parvanova, E. (2023). Reforming the United Nations Security Council: Cross-country analysis of a G-4 potential permanent membership. Journal of the Bulgarian Geographical Society, 49, 69–77.
Patrick, S. (2023, June 28). UN Security Council reform: What the world thinks. Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. https://carnegieendowment.org/2023/06/28/un-security-council-reform-what-worldthinks-pub-90032
Sebhatu, T. R. (2020). The effects of United Nations Security Council veto power on stability of states: A case study of Syria and its neighbors (Doctoral dissertation). University of Nairobi.
Security Council Report. (2023, June). Climate, peace and security, June 2023 monthly forecast. https://www.securitycouncilreport.org/monthly-forecast/2023-06/climate-peace-and-security.php
Simmons, B. A. (2020). The shifting role of the United Nations Security Council: Emerging threats and the need for reform. International Security Review, 19(3), 214–237.
The Guardian. (2021, December 13). Russia vetoes UN Security Council resolution linking climate crisis to international peace. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/dec/13/russia-vetoes-un-security-council-resolution-climate-crisis-international-peace
United Nations Security Council. (2021). United Nations Security Council membership. United Nations. https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/content/membership
United Nations. (1945). Charter of the United Nations. https://www.un.org/en/charter-united-nations/
United Nations. (2004). Resolution 1540 (2004) on the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. https://undocs.org/S/RES/1540(2004)
United Nations. (2014). Resolution 2195 (2014) on threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts. https://undocs.org/S/RES/2195(2014)
United Nations. (2015). Resolution 2240 (2015) on migrant smuggling and human trafficking off the coast of Libya. https://undocs.org/S/RES/2240(2015)
United Nations. (2021). Secretary-General stresses 'non-traditional threats' in briefing to Security Council. https://press.un.org/en/2021/sgsm20596.doc.htm
United Nations. (2021, December). Security Council fails to adopt resolution integrating climate-related security risk into conflict-prevention strategies. https://press.un.org/en/2021/sc14732.doc.htm
Webb, P. (2014). Deadlock or restraint? The Security Council veto and the use of force in Syria. Journal of Conflict and Security Law, 19(3), 471–488.
Wendt, A. (1999). Social theory of international politics. Cambridge University Press.
Williams, P. R., & Pearlman, S. (2019). Use of force in humanitarian crises: Addressing the limitations of UN Security Council authorization. Case Western Reserve Journal of International Law, 51, 211–xxx.
