Logo of the United Nations in the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland (Thomas Trutschel / Getty Images)
On Monday, will open the 68th General Assembly of the United Nations (UN) in New York. The annual meeting will also mark the beginning of the anniversary celebrations of 70th anniversary of the entity.There is little doubt that since its inception, the UN has saved millions of people from more chaotic poverty even epidemic diseases that seemed difficult to addressed. In its history, the United Nations was already hailed as the great hope for the future of humanity, but at the same time have been accused of protecting dictatorships and be passive spectator of genocide. The organization receives criticism for its bureaucracy and sluggishness, as well as the centralizing policy of the Security Council, composed of five permanent members: the United States, France, Britain, China and Russia.
With the approach of the United Nations anniversary, officially it was founded on October 24, 1945, these flaws - and how the institution has dealt with them - surfaced insofar as the organization tries to define its role in the twenty-first century . Tensions between Western governments, who consider the comprehensive UN too and inefficient, and developing nations, who see the organization as undemocratic and controlled by the rich countries, demoralize the institution, which increasingly needs a renovation, say the experts consulted by SEE site.
For political science professor Thomas Weiss, of the City University of New York, there are changes to be made, but not all are feasible. "Among the changes that are possible and necessary is greater political commitment of all member states, including the rich, the middle income, like Brazil, and even the poorest, and providing resources for the United Nations to do its Work". The author of "What's Wrong With the United Nations and How to Fix It," or "What is wrong with the United Nations and how to change it", in literal translation, also states that contributions to the UN should be free, or It is intended for any purpose, not only to projects that favor the donor.
High costs - currently, UN spending is 40 times higher than in the decade of 50. The organization has seventeen specialized agencies, funds fourteen and a secretariat with seventeen departments, employing 41,000 people. The regular budget of the United Nations, which is adjusted every two years and used to pay for administration costs, more than doubled in the past two decades, reaching $ 5.4 billion, or 22.3 billion reais.
But this is only a small portion of all that is spent. Missions of Peace, for example, cost more $ 9 billion (37 billion reais), with 120,000 soldiers - the so-called "blue helmets" - leased mainly in Africa. Some missions have lasted more than a decade. And there are voluntary contributions from governments, used to finance a large part of the humanitarian aid programs, development work and agencies such as UNICEF. Donations increased by six times in the last 25 years, reaching 28.8 billion dollars (118.5 billion reais), and yet some agencies claim to be on the verge of bankruptcy.
Security Council - Besides the lack of resources, the former ambassador of Brazil in London and Washington, Rubens Barbosa, says the balance of power in the Security Council as another challenge to be achieved by the UN. "The United Nations must effectively for reform so that the balance of power today is more properly represented in the Security Council (SC), which is the decision making body of the organization and aimed just trying to equate the problems of peace and international security" he says.
However, the difficulties of the organ in solving security issues in the Middle East and the current refugee crisis is also the consequence of inaction and conflicts between the CS member countries. "The Security Council is useless or useful? The answer is that when member states want the political part works, it works," says Thomas Weiss.
Meeting of the UN Security (Justin Lane / EFE / SEE)
According to the professor, are the people who work directly for the organization, officials from UNICEF, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the World Food Program that make them more effective efforts. "Who traabalha to the United Nations has done unbelievably dedicated work under dangerous conditions and inadequate resources to get supplies for 4 million refugees and displaced 8 million people, for example."
However, something that can stand in the way of the success of UN programs and agencies is paradoxically precisely excess fronts operating in many countries, quite independently. Limited resources and the lack of integration hinder the achievement of goals and a more universal planning.Barbosa agrees that excess institutions may also lead to an increase in the bureaucracy of the organization, but recognizes their work. "The UN has a number of important actions in humanitarian and peacekeeping in Haiti, the Middle East, in Africa. There is always a bureaucratic backlog, but it is the price that the international community must pay for negotiated solutions are achieved ".
Brazilian diplomacy downwards - As traditionally happens since 1947, the Brazilian head of state is responsible for opening the general debate of the Assembly. However, for the former Ambassador Barbosa, Brazilian diplomacy is now living a moment of prestige. "Over the last 13, 14 years, the strategic options that the Brazilian government has introduced limited results and, in many cases, results contrary to the interests of Brazil." With the proximity of the UN General Assembly, which officially starts on the 28th, is even stronger peer pressure the countries that integrates the so-called G4 - Brazil, Germany, Japan and India - for a renovation and expansion of the Security Council. According to the political under-secretary-general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Fernando Simas Magalhães, on Saturday, President Dilma Rousseff met in New York with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and the President of India Pranab Mukherjee, to work out a joint document with a formal request to the United Nations.
