The United Nations was formed in 1945 to maintain international peace and security after the collapse of the League of Nations. The organisation is founded on the principle of the sovereign equality of its member states, with every member state entitled to equal recognition and respect within the international system. However, as the United Nations approaches its ninth decade, an important question remains: How much has actually changed in the international system since the early years of the organisation?
During the 18th UN General Assembly meeting in October 1963, Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia delivered a speech that resonated deeply with Africans and people of African descent. He spoke out against racial discrimination, inequality, and the structures that had historically denied some people their dignity and equal place in the international community. His words remain relevant today, as the fundamental issues he addressed have not entirely disappeared.
At the 80th UNGA meeting, President John Dramani Mahama of Ghana delivered a landmark call for reparatory justice and reparations for the historical crimes associated with the trans-Atlantic slave trade and colonisation. The trans-Atlantic slave trade remains one of the gravest crimes against humanity, with millions of Africans forcibly removed from their homes and subjected to brutal exploitation. The consequences of that history continue to inform discussions about inequality, development, justice, and the relationship between Africa and the rest of the world.
Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley of Barbados also raised concerns about the structures of the international system at the 81st UNGA meeting. She stated that the mindset that established and justified slavery is the same mindset that sustains the iniquities within the power structures of the UN and the international financial architecture. African and Caribbean voices have continued to articulate concerns about the structure of the global system, with the central demand remaining remarkably similar: that the international order must become more equitable, representative, and responsive to the interests of all peoples.
The composition of the UN Security Council is a clear example of the debate, with its permanent membership having not changed since 1945. While the world has undergone profound political, economic, and demographic transformations since then, the permanent structure of the Council remains largely rooted in the realities of the post-Second World War era. The international financial architecture has also remained a major subject of debate, with questions about representation, access to financing, debt, development, and the distribution of economic power continuing to occupy the global agenda.
Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan introduced numerous reforms during his tenure and contributed significantly to strengthening the organisation. However, some of the fundamental structures identified above remained beyond meaningful transformation. The question is not simply whether the United Nations has achieved anything, but whether the international system is capable of adapting sufficiently to reflect the aspirations of a changing world.
To move forward, stronger partnerships are needed, extending beyond governments to include civil society, academia, business, faith-based organisations, traditional institutions, young people, and other stakeholders. These partnerships must be built on the principle that lifting another person, nation, or region does not amount to diminishing one’s own power, and that the prosperity of one part of the world should not have to depend on the deprivation of another.
Key points
- The international order must become more equitable, representative, and responsive to the interests of all peoples.
- The philosophy of superiority and inferiority continues to influence aspects of the international order.
- Stronger partnerships are needed to shape a more equitable international order.
