The United Nations is presented with a critical opportunity for reforming global governance at its upcoming Summit of the Future on 22-23 September 2024. Just as trust in multilateralism has been depleted amid recent global crises, the promise of the “Pact for the Future” offered by this summit hopes to breathe new life into the UN and spur international cooperation. Despite all skepticism toward addressing long-standing issues like the power structure within the Security Council, the summit opens a window of opportunity for meaningful change in case member states commit to actionable steps. The involvement of civil society and the private sectors might breathe new life into global governance, making this summit critical for multilateralism.
| GS Paper | General Studies II |
| Topics for UPSC Prelims | United Nations Summit of the Future, Multilateralism, UN peacekeeping, International Monetary Fund, World Health Organization, COVAX, UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, Montreal Protocol, UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, International Labour Organization, BRICS group, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, World Trade Organization’s Doha Round negotiations, Cryptocurrency, World Economic Forum |
| Topics for UPSC Mains | Significance of Multilateral Institutions, Reasons for Diminishing Role of Multilateral Institutions |
This editorial is based on “Summit of the Future: The UN at a Crossroads,” published in The Hindu on 16/09/2024. The article discusses the potential impact of the upcoming UN Summit on global governance reforms.
For UPSC students, understanding the topic of this editorial is crucial as it aligns with the UPSC syllabus on international relations, specifically the role of international institutions and treaties. It helps in grasping the dynamics of global governance and the significance of multilateralism, which are essential for both Prelims and Mains.
The upcoming United Nations Summit of the Future is crucial for UPSC aspirants as it addresses the urgent need for UN reforms and global cooperation, mirroring themes in previous exam questions on multilateral institutions. The summit’s potential to rejuvenate global governance makes it a significant topic for understanding international relations and the dynamics of global power structures.
Multilateral institutions play a pivotal role in global governance, influencing peacekeeping, economic stability, health management, climate change, human rights, sustainable development, international standards, and scientific advancement. These institutions are vital for fostering international cooperation, setting global standards, and addressing transnational challenges that individual nations alone cannot resolve.
UN peacekeeping operations have been instrumental in preventing and resolving conflicts since 1948. With 71 deployments and 87,000 peacekeepers currently serving in regions such as Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. These operations help maintain peace and stability in conflict zones.
The IMF and World Bank are crucial in maintaining global economic stability. During the 2008 financial crisis, the IMF provided over USD 250 billion in loans. Recently, the IMF has lent close to USD 200 billion to countries like Argentina and Egypt, underscoring its role in economic recovery and stability.
The WHO leads in managing global health crises. It coordinated the largest vaccine distribution in history during the Covid-19 pandemic through COVAX. The organization’s efforts in eradicating smallpox and reducing polio cases by 99% highlight its long-term impact on global health.
Institutions like the UNFCCC are key in addressing climate change. The Paris Agreement aims to limit global warming, while the Montreal Protocol, successful in phasing out ozone-depleting substances, demonstrates effective multilateral environmental action.
The UN Human Rights Council promotes and protects human rights globally. The Universal Periodic Review has assessed the human rights records of all 193 UN member states, providing mechanisms for global accountability and standard-setting in human rights.
The UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aim to end extreme poverty and promote prosperity. The global extreme poverty rate has fallen significantly, and multilateral development banks, like the World Bank Group, have committed substantial funding to support developing countries.
Institutions like the ILO and ICAO set global norms and standards. The ILO’s labor standards and the ICAO’s air travel safety standards are examples of how these institutions ensure consistent and safe practices worldwide.
UNESCO promotes international collaboration in education, science, and culture. It oversees 1,199 World Heritage Sites and has contributed to rising global literacy rates. CERN, a prominent example of scientific multilateralism, achieved groundbreaking discoveries like the Higgs boson.
Various factors contribute to the diminishing role of multilateral institutions, such as shifting global power dynamics, sovereignty prioritization, decision-making paralysis, technological adaptation lag, declining public trust, financial constraints, representation imbalances, and siloed approaches.
The rise of countries like China and the expansion of the BRICS group challenge Western-led institutions. The creation of alternative institutions like the AIIB reflects this shift, indicating a move towards a more multipolar world.
Nations prioritizing sovereignty over multilateral commitments affect institutions. Brexit and the “America First” policy exemplify this trend, leading to skepticism towards global institutions.
Consensus-based approaches often result in decision-making paralysis. The UN Security Council’s inability to act decisively on conflicts due to veto power and the unresolved WTO Doha Round negotiations highlight this inefficiency.
Traditional institutions struggle to keep pace with rapid technological advancements. Issues like cryptocurrency regulation, AI governance, and cybersecurity require agile responses that these institutions often cannot provide.
Public trust in multilateral institutions is declining due to perceptions of elitism and a lack of transparency. Scandals like the World Bank’s “Doing Business” report erode confidence, making it harder for these bodies to garner support.
Chronic underfunding limits the effectiveness of multilateral institutions. The UN’s budget constraints force reliance on voluntary contributions, compromising their independence and ability to set long-term agendas.
Many institutions reflect outdated power dynamics, leading to questions about their legitimacy. The UN Security Council’s permanent members and the IMF’s voting share still favor Western countries, fueling resentment among emerging powers.
The compartmentalized nature of multilateral institutions hampers coordinated responses to interconnected challenges like climate change. Fragmented approaches within the UN system illustrate the inefficiency of this method.
Reforming multilateral institutions involves strategies such as rebalancing power, embracing digital democracy, forming adaptive coalitions, localizing goals, enhancing transparency, engaging stakeholders, ensuring crisis readiness, and establishing comprehensive digital governance.
Updating voting structures to reflect current global realities is essential. Reforming the UN Security Council and implementing weighted voting systems in the IMF and World Bank can ensure fairer representation of emerging powers.
Digital platforms can enhance global decision-making. Blockchain technology and AI-powered translation services can ensure transparency and inclusivity, inspired by Estonia’s e-governance model.
Issue-specific coalitions within multilateral frameworks can address urgent challenges more swiftly. The High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People demonstrates the effectiveness of such flexible arrangements.
Mechanisms to translate global agreements into local actions are crucial. Direct funding channels to local governments and programs like the UN Global Compact Cities Programme can enhance urban participation in global governance.
Open data policies and audit committees with rotating membership can improve transparency. The International Aid Transparency Initiative and public reporting mechanisms can enhance accountability.
Formalizing private sector and civil society participation in decision-making processes can strengthen multilateral governance. The World Economic Forum’s model and the UN Global Compact offer frameworks for such engagement.
Dedicated rapid response units with pre-approved funding and authority are vital. A global emergency coordination platform and regular crisis simulation exercises can improve preparedness.
A global digital governance framework addressing cybersecurity, data privacy, and AI ethics is necessary. The Budapest Convention on Cybercrime can serve as a foundation for broader efforts.
India’s unique position as a developing and emerging economic power enables it to lead and bridge divides in multilateral institutions, contributing significantly to their reform and revitalization.
| Political: The editorial presents the greatest political challenges to multilateral institutions precisely on issues of changing world power dynamics and sovereignty. The UN Summit will undertake reforms of structures such as the Security Council, which do not reflect contemporary realities. Economic: These stabilization tools through institutions, including the IMF and the World Bank, are crucial and already reflected in the institution of substantial funds in times of crisis. However, chronic underfunding and the rise of alternative institutions such as AIIB challenge the traditional economic order. Social: The editorial addresses social multilateralism dimensions in human rights advocacy, health management, and labor standards. These institutions have faced declining public trust, thus requiring increased transparency and a more inclusive form of stakeholder engagement to regain legitimacy. Technological: Of these considerable barriers, the institutions have difficulties accepting new trends such as AI and digital currencies. An important part of the summit is about drawing out a framework for global digital governance so that the ability to keep up with such a rapid pace of technological change may be found. Environmental: It is under the mitigation of climate change that the efforts are the focus here. Multilateral agreements and initiatives are critical in attempting to obviate global warming and environmental degradation. The role of institutions in promoting sustainable development and translating global agreements into local actions is mentioned. Legal: It analyses international standard-setting, as well as the need for legal reforms to best reflect the contemporary structure of the global situation. There is a great need for enhancing the frameworks of global governance concerning issues like cybersecurity, data privacy, and ethical dimensions of emerging technologies. |
Amid these testing times for multilateral institutions in the face of adaptation to this new global order, lies an opportunity with the upcoming UN Summit of the Future, much to breathe new life into global governance. The result of the reform process would, thus, depend on the willingness of its member states to grab the opportunities for change to truly reshape the system. As India continues to raise its global stature, it is well poised to take the lead and bridge divides, calling for a more inclusive and effective multilateral system in vogue with contemporary challenges.
| UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Questions (PYQs) Mains Q. Discuss the impediments India is facing in its pursuit of a permanent seat in the UN Security Council. (GS Paper II, 2022) Q. Discuss the role of International Monetary Fund (IMF) in stabilizing global economies, particularly during crises. In light of the recent economic challenges, evaluate the effectiveness of IMF’s interventions and the criticisms it faces.the International |
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