un workshop
TRANSCRIPT
UN Workshop
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• Organization of the United Nations• Overview• Triangular Structure• General Assembly• Security Council• Secretariat & Secretary-General
• Grounds for a United Nations• Law• Philosophy
• Debate• More about the UN• Employment at the UN• (UN) sources
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ORGANIZATION OF THE UN 5
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Overview“The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace.”
• Charter of the United Nations = constitution of the UN• Purposes (Art. 1):• Peace and security • Human rights• Development• Cooperation
• Principles (Art. 2):• Sovereign equality• universality 6
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Triangular Structure
General Assembly
Security CouncilSecretariat
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Triangular StructureGeneral
Assembly
Security CouncilSecretariat
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• Core of the entire United Nations System• Power lies with the member states• Entirely funded by the member states:
• ~ 5 billion/year• ~ capacity to pay (Gross National Income)
• GA: ‘World Parliament’• Secretariat: ‘International Civil Service’• Security Council: ‘International Governement
President of GA
President of SC
Security Council
• Respective heads of 3 main bodies• Ensure the continuous link between them• Their relationship is vital
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General Assembly
General Assembl
y6 Main
Committees 10
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General Assembly
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• The ‘World Parliament’• 193 equal members• 6 official languages• Arabic, Russian, English, Spanish, French, Chinese
• Divided into 5 regional groups• African, Asia-Pacific, Eastern European, Latin American and
Caribbean and Western European and Others Group• Important for elections
• Chaired by the President of the General Assembly• Elected by all member states• 1 year• Rotation between 5 regional groups• Assisted by General Committee
General Assembly
6 Main Committees
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General Assembly
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• 6 Main Committees (~parliamentary committees)• First Committee (DISEC): disarmament and related international
security questions.• Second Committee (EcoFin): economic questions.• Third Committee (SocHum): social and humanitarian issues.• Fourth Committee (SpecPol): a variety of political subjects not
dealt with by the First Committee, as well as decolonization.• Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary Committee):
the administration and budget of the United Nations. • Sixth Committee (Legal Committee): international legal matters.
• Goal: to proceed swiftly and more accurately• Not all member states represented: election• Rapporteur to General Assembly
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General Assembly
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• The course of a United Nations Session (63th Session):• 1 year: September 18th 2012 – September 17th 2013• The General Committee makes up a provisional agenda• September 21th: plenary decides on the agenda• September 24th-October 5th: general debate
• Secretary-General and President of GA open the general debate• Speakers’ list of member states: Brazil always first• Presence of head of states
• Elections of main bodies• Voting on resolutions (coming from main committees)• Plenary session stops in December• Rest of the year: negotiations and executing
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General Assembly
United Nations
• Diplomacy• Consensus
Model United Nations
• Parliament• Opposition• Voting
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Security Council• ‘International government’• 15 members (P5, 10 non-permanent)• Chaired by President of Security Council• Elected every month
• Purpose:• Art. 24 of UN Charter: “In order to ensure prompt and effective action by the United Nations, its Members confer on the Security Council primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security…”
• Chapters VI, VII, VIII and XII specify the powers attributed
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Security Council• Reform of the United Nations Security Council:• Expansion track
• More seats• Permanent/Non-Permanent• Regional groups
• Working Method track• Abolition of veto power• Transparency• Relationship SC-GA
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Secretariat & Secretary-General
• ‘International civil service’• 43,747 staff members• Presided by Secretary-General• Elected every 5 years
• Deputy Secretary-General: administrative responsibilities
• Assisted by 50 Under-SGs• Responsible for certain branches: media, peace
operations...
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Secretary-General
Secretary
• Head of a ‘business’• Administrative tasks
General
• Face of the UN• Leadership
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GROUNDS FOR THE UN 20
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Law
• Resolutions: • Security Council: binding for all member states• General Assembly: non-binding• Mostly by consensus. Why?
• Presidential statements of Security Council
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Law
Legal status of international (binding) treaties• Treaties in national law system:• Monism: ratification implies automatic integration• Dualism: after ratification new national laws needed
for integration
• Belgium: monism• Endorsement by all authorized parliamentary
assemblies• Publication• Individual can call upon treaties with direct effect
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Philosophical view
Premodernity
Modernity
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Philosophical view
Premodernity
Modernity
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Meaningful & complete world view• Every individual knows its place• Community > individuals• Based on the will of GodÞ Social order
Europe: 16th century• Science• Humanism• Religious pluralism
MechanisationIndividuals > CommunityWhich will of God?=> Self-interests
WHAT IS THE BASIS OF SOCIAL ORDER IN MODERNITY?
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Philosophical view
Problem of social order:• People only driven by self-interest
“Bellum omnium contra omnes”“Homo homini lupus”
• How to escape this state of nature?
LEVIATHAN
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Philosophical view
People
Problem of social order• State of Nature• People driven by self-
interest• Homo homini lupus
How to escape?Leviathan= higher authorityRole of national government
States
Problem of order• State of Nature• Sovereign states driven by
self-interest• Regio regioni lupus
How to escape?Leviathan= higher authorityRole of the United Nations?
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Philosophical view
The fate of liberal democracy
Liberal
• Individual liberties• Universalistic
Democratic
• General interest• Political freedom• National
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Philosophical viewNational democracy under pressure
• Globalization:• Intensification of international activities (economical,
financial, political, cultural and ecological)• Threat? Democratic legitimacy not assuredÞ Decision-makers & decision-takers
Þ Global Democracy?
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Philosophical view: global democracy?
Westphalian Model
• Sovereign nation state• National government =
highest political authority
• Equality between statesÞ Intensive cooperation
Multi-level governance
• Vertical hierarchical system
• Several levels of authority
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Philosophical view: global democracy
Paradox (Robert Dahl)Reach of democracies
Citizens => identification & solidarity
Larger ‘demos’, more difficult to generate solidarity
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Philosophical viewEvolution?
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DEBATE 33
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MORE ABOUT THE UN 34
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Employment at the UN• Work at certain organization• Apply on website
• Work for UN Secretariat• Website: http://careers.un.org• Personal history file• Apply for specific job• Patient & perseverant• Exam system
• Internships• 2 months unpaid in NY Headquarters
• UN volunteers program• UN field operation• Paid• Building credibility
• Young professional program• Program to ensure diversity in the UN• Under 33 years
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Sources• UN Charter: constitution!• UN library:• http://unbisnet.un.org/• Voting records• Speeches• …
• Gapminder: data• CIA World Factbook: data• Flipboard: world news• Google Currents: world news
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KULMUN Challenge
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38QUESTIONS?