Established in 1945, the United Nations (UN) is a synonym for peacekeeping and international cooperation. At least, they were so in the past. But the truth is that the organization is becoming increasingly irrelevant at the moment it celebrates its 80th birthday.
United Nations Doesn’t Command the Same Respect Anymore
The global image of the United Nations has been declining for years now. It’s facing increasing criticism from the public, while governments have begun to view its function as a ceremonial one. The veto power granted to the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia, and China means that these five countries play a key role in all decisions and processes. This allows them to push their own agendas and strike down decisions that don’t suit them. However, the main reason for the damaged image of the UN is its inability to prevent conflicts and serve its peacemaker role properly.
The shortcomings of the UN contributed to some of the biggest crimes against humanity in recent decades. This was particularly the case in Rwanda and Bosnia and Herzegovina in the ‘90s. Despite the presence of UN forces, both countries experienced genocide. Even today, the UN has done nothing to prevent the war in Ukraine or to stop Israel from killing civilians and starving children in Gaza.
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United States Deepens the Crisis
The role of the United States in the UN’s crisis has been notable, especially under Trump’s administration. This is a stark contrast to some previous eras, where the US was actually the one keeping the UN together and being proud of its influence and contributions to the organization.
As part of its efforts to isolate Americans from the rest of the world, Trump has slashed funding for the United Nations. This was likely caused by the Republicans’ perception of the UN’s bias against the US. So far, Trump’s administration has “clawed back” around $1 billion in previously committed funding to the organization and intends to lower its contributions by another $1 billion. “We’ve withheld this year,” United Nations Ambassador Mike Waltz confirmed back in September.
Other Countries Will Happily Step Up
If the United States doesn’t want to be in the UN business anymore, the consequences will be significant. However, other countries still respect and recognize the organization’s global reach. The likes of China will happily step in to fill the void and increase their influence. The US might keep its money, but its voice won’t matter as much as it did before.
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