[Answered] The UN is facing a crisis of relevance. Critically evaluate whether the institution can move beyond ceremony to offer genuine service in humanitarian aid and conflict resolution in a multipolar world.

Introduction

Marking its 80th anniversary, the United Nations—founded in 1945 to ensure peace—faces a legitimacy crisis, with over 170 ongoing conflicts and record 362 million requiring humanitarian aid (UNOCHA, 2024).

The UN’s Crisis of Relevance

1. Institutional Paralysis: Veto politics: Russia’s veto stalled Security Council resolutions on Ukraine; U.S. vetoes blocked ceasefire calls on Gaza (2023–25). Security Council remains P5-dominated, unrepresentative of Global South—no African or Latin American permanent members.
2. Humanitarian Weakness: Funding crisis, UN’s humanitarian appeals are only 36% funded (UNOCHA 2024), the lowest in a decade. UNRWA in Gaza, crippled by U.S. and donor cuts, yet remains the only lifeline for 6 million Palestinians.
3. Peacekeeping Fatigue: Troops sent without equipment, arrears in reimbursements (~$1.3 billion in 2023). Failures in Rwanda (1994), Srebrenica (1995), and more recently in Mali, South Sudan, Haiti raise doubts about credibility.
4. Great Power Contestation: Multipolar disorder, U.S. treats multilateralism à la carte, funding selective mandates; China emphasizes “Global Development” rhetoric with thin contributions; Europe reduces commitments under domestic pressure. Regional coalitions (AU-led in Somalia, ASEAN diplomacy in Myanmar, Gulf-led aid in Yemen) increasingly bypass UN frameworks.

Yet, Why the UN Still Matters

1. Normative Legitimacy: Charter of the United Nations still embodies collective security principles; 150+ states still address the General Assembly annually. Norms on human rights (UDHR, 1948), refugee protection (1951 Convention), and climate (Paris Agreement, 2015) retain moral weight.
2. Essential Service Provider: World Food Programme, fed 160 million people in 2023. WHO, coordinated COVAX, delivering over 1.9 billion vaccine doses during COVID-19. UNICEF, vaccinated 45% of world’s children annually.
3. Conflict Mediation Role: Ceasefire monitoring, UNDOF in Golan Heights, UNIFIL in Lebanon continue to stabilize volatile zones. Ukraine, despite paralysis, the UN brokered the Black Sea Grain Initiative (2022–23), easing global food insecurity.

Can the UN Move Beyond Ceremony?

1. Structural Reform: Expansion of UNSC under the Intergovernmental Negotiations framework; India, Brazil, South Africa, and Nigeria push G4 + Africa permanent seat demand.
2. Financial Renewal: Calls for assessed contributions for humanitarian work, beyond current 70% voluntary model.
3. Digital & Climate Mandates: UN’s Global Digital Compact (2024) and COP process show scope for leadership in emerging global commons.
4. Leadership Change: Next Secretary-General selection (2026) could mark reform, with calls for first woman SG and Global South candidate.

Conclusion

The UN “was not created to take mankind to heaven, but to save it from hell.” Renewal—not ritual—alone can restore multilateral relevance.