analysis
2023 was not a good year for the United Nations. Whether it’s the war in the Middle East or Ukraine: the UN appears helpless and powerless. In Africa, Blue Helmet missions end unsuccessfully. How will the UN get out of the crisis?
It was a dramatic struggle, but in the end at least one signal emerged: the UN Security Council is actually bringing forward a joint resolution on the Middle East war, albeit with many compromises and laboriously negotiated compromises. The much-heralded most powerful UN body is calling for an increase in humanitarian aid for around two million people in need in the Gaza Strip.
But the Security Council decided not to call for an immediate ceasefire as planned. Only the weakened text allowed Israel’s protecting power, the USA, not to veto the declaration, but rather to abstain alongside Russia.
The vote that was postponed for days, the fighting over every sentence in the text of the resolution – for many at the end of the year it only illustrates the helplessness in which the Security Council finds itself. After the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine, the conflict in the Middle East has divided the United Nations like nothing ever has, says Germany’s UN Ambassador Antje Leendertse ARD studio New York even before the most recent vote: “If you look at the terrible escalation in the Middle East, it really took the Security Council an agonizingly long time to find a common position here.”
Relations between Israel and the UN at their lowest point
The council still hasn’t actually found her. With the exception of a single declaration for a humanitarian ceasefire, all attempts at Gaza resolutions have failed there for almost three months. The US opposes anything that could make Israel uncomfortable and insists on Israel’s right to self-defense. Arab countries refuse to condemn Hamas and its acts of terrorism by name. The council is torn internally.
And Israel, which is currently not on the Security Council, is becoming more and more isolated on the world stage, says UN observer at the Crisis Group think tank Richard Gowan: “Israel has made it very clear that it will ignore all resolutions and all criticism from the UN “The Israelis believe that the entire UN system is against them.”
Since October 7th, the already tense relations between Israel and the world organization have reached a low point. Israel’s UN Ambassador Gilad Erdan even called for the resignation of Secretary General Antonio Guterres. He also reminded Israel of its responsibility to respect human rights.
Alarmed by what Hamas said were at least 20,000 deaths in the Gaza Strip, including more UN employees than in any conflict to date, Guterres even activated an instrument in November that only a handful of his predecessors had previously used: Guterres invoked Article 99 of the Gaza Strip UN Charter back and thus into the agenda of the Security Council. The UN chief put discussion of a ceasefire on the agenda. The resolution failed in the Security Council due to the US veto.
“The global community is finding it very difficult this year to use these institutions and instruments that the United Nations has available constructively,” says German Ambassador Leendertse.
Criticism of Guterres
Many UN diplomats from various regions are becoming increasingly frustrated. You speak of a lack of planning. Criticism of the UN chief is growing behind closed doors in many places. The General Secretariat hovers disconnected from the UN bodies. Guterres approaches many things too blackly and without the necessary diplomatic sensitivity.
The long-standing United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees rightly places a strong emphasis on humanitarian commitment. But he is deaf to blue helmet missions. He does not sufficiently promote constructive discussions, for example about the stabilization and development of countries after conflicts. In fact, the UN organizations don’t have many other options right now, says UN observer Gowan: “Secretary-General Guterres and the entire UN system are concentrating on humanitarian aid for the time being – whether in Afghanistan or in Gaza. That’s what the UN can do , but they can’t stop wars.”
No successes Conflict resolutions this year
Guterres successfully negotiated the grain agreement in the Ukraine crisis in order to avert the damage of the Russian war of aggression to poorer countries around the world. But in the summer, Moscow canceled the deal to export grain from Ukraine. In many countries in Africa and Asia in particular, the willingness to bleed for the war in Eastern Europe has been dwindling for a long time.
In addition, conflicts continue to smolder in West and Central Africa. This is also why 2023 was one of the most difficult years for the UN in a long time, says Richard Gowan: “The major rift between Russia and the Western countries in the Security Council has become even greater. I think we have all focused on Ukraine and Gaza. ” But it is also important to see: “The UN did not manage to stop a war in Sudan. UN peacekeepers also had to leave Mali.” This year the UN failed to resolve any conflict on its agenda.
UN in one Crisis of trust
Geopolitical shifts, the shattered Security Council, the dilemma between morality and diplomatic commitments: the world organization’s room for maneuver is being restricted by a deep crisis of trust, says Gowan. The United Nations could take on major tasks, at least in Gaza, in 2024: “Support reconstruction, provide basic services for the Palestinians,” says Gowan. There is also talk of the UN setting up a provisional administration for Gaza. “But I doubt that.”
But if anyone there has the authority to help the people in the Gaza Strip, it is the UN organizations, says the long-time observer of the “Crisis Group”.
A strength that critics of the United Nations often overlook, says Germany’s Ambassador Leendertse. Because the UN is there worldwide, especially with its development and humanitarian instruments. “I think that we have to start with humanitarian engagement by considering whether it is actually justified to criticize the United Nations itself or whether it is no longer the fault of the member states that do not use the UN or do not support it enough. “
Germany – one of the largest UN supporters
Germany has continued to make this support a priority: as the second largest contributor to the entire UN system and also the second largest bilateral donor of humanitarian aid. And this year there was something to celebrate: 50 years of membership in the United Nations. Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock traveled to the East River with a mammoth delegation to celebrate on the sidelines of the general assembly.
The lively in-person party was also the starting signal for the next round of applications. Germany wants to become a permanent member of the Security Council – but that is a long way off. In the new year, the official application round will begin against Austria and Portugal for the next rotating seat, which will become available in 2027.
The plan for 2024 also includes preparing a future summit together with Namibia. The main aim there is to create instruments and networks in order to be able to better manage conflicts between the major powers and crises.