The United Nations was formed in 1945 with the goal of preventing wars and ensuring peace in the world. The formation of the United Nations was largely prompted by the failure of the League of Nations after the First World War, which resulted in a great tragedy in Japan due to the dropping of the atomic bomb. The idea was simple it was a platform for countries in the world to talk, cooperate, and resolve conflicts in a peaceful manner.

However, in the modern world, the role of the United Nations is being questioned. Recent global conflicts, such as the war in Iran, the Russia-Ukraine war, and the Israel-Hezbollah conflict, have revealed the limitations of the United Nations.

The biggest concern is the failure of the UN to stop major wars from happening, as well as responding adequately when they occur. The war between Russia and Ukraine has been going on for the last four years, with the UN not taking any serious measures that could stop the war. In the Middle East, the situation has deteriorated, with the United States and Israel launching strikes against Iran, leading to instability in the region.

The most interesting thing is that the United States, under the leadership of President Trump, did not even attempt to get the endorsement of the UN before launching the attacks. In the past, the US has been using the endorsement of the UN as the reason for launching attacks in various countries. This time, they did not even follow this procedure.

This is because there is a bigger issue at hand: the bigger countries do not feel constrained by the UN system. The UN Security Council is arguably the most powerful organ within the UN, but it has issues as well. The five permanent members of this body, namely the US, Russia, China, the UK, and France, have veto power. The issue is that countries are using this power not to ensure world peace, but to advance their interests.

The recent events in the Iran conflict again prove this point. The UN Security Council has issued a resolution condemning the actions of Iran against its neighbours. However, there has been no such sharp reaction against the initial attacks by the US and Israel. There is a feeling that the UN is not seen as a neutral body but as one that is subject to global politics.

Another point that has been criticised is that of human rights. The UN has been accused of being slow in reacting to situations. For example, when internal crackdowns were being carried out in countries like Iran, sharp condemnations came much later, if at all. On the other hand, sharp condemnations were issued on other occasions.

The COVID-19 pandemic also brought to the fore the deficiencies in the UN system, particularly in the functioning of the World Health Organisation. Developing nations also felt that they were not being taken care of, and this brought to the fore the concept of justice and global cooperation.

It was in this backdrop that the concept of a 'Board of Peace' by US President Donald Trump found some prominence, as it was perceived as an effort to form an alternative to the United Nations, comprising fewer and more controllable numbers of nations that could take decisions quickly without the bureaucratic red tape of the existing system. It also highlights the frustration that the existing global order has created in the minds of the powerful.

Let us pose an interesting question: what kind of global body does the world need today?

Obviously, the current system is not functioning properly. The world needs an institution that is more democratic, representative, and not dominated by a few powerful countries. The structure of the current Security Council needs an urgent reform that reflects the emerging powers and developing countries.

On the other hand, the new structure needs the ability to act swiftly in times of crises, as delay is not an option if the world is going to benefit from the efforts of the new institution. In addition, the structure needs to be neutral, especially when dealing with matters of human rights.

Another aspect of the international institution is that powerful countries need to be held accountable, just like the smaller countries. In the absence of equal rules, no international system is going to survive.

In conclusion, it is clear that the United Nations is not entirely irrelevant but is having difficulties in coping with the new realities that confront it in terms of geopolitics. While the ideals that were set out at the beginning are still relevant, there is a need to reform the structure and operation of the United Nations. Failure to do this may mean that eventually, new forms of global operation emerge that may not be more equitable or more effective. The issue is not just how to save the United Nations but how to rebuild trust in global cooperation.
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