The new dynamics of security: the United Nations and Africa.
World Policy Journal › Vol. 13 Nbr. 2, June 1996
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Summary
Africa's influence in the UN has declined as UN leverage over Africa has increased. Eastern European countries usually sided with Africa in world affairs so that with the Soviet collapse, Africa's voting power which was its main strength, was considerably reduced. In contrast, UN influence in African affairs has been strengthened with the downfall of many African states such as Somalia, Rwanda and Liberia.
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Extract
The new dynamics of security: the United Nations and Africa.
When the United Nations was formed in 1945, the human race was so weary of war that many believed it would never occur again. In a sense, the United Nations was created to consolidate a whole new revolution in human history, a "revolution of peace" to end what the U.N. Charter denounced as the "scourge of war." But as the century comes to a close, the United Nations finds its ultimate aspirations as elusive as ever.
What many regard as the failures of the United Nations in Somalia and Bosnia, and its criminal negligence over Rwanda in 1994, have led to serious questions about the organization's role. Is it underutilizing preventive diplomacy in pursuit of peace? Is it too cautious in pursuing peace enforcement? These are difficult questions. They merely illustrate that while we have indeed averted a world war in the second half of the twentieth century, we have multiplied regional, local, and ethnic wars - and escalated their human cost. Should regions like Africa look for alternat...See the full content of this document
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