The United Nations Organisation: Its Role in Developing and Furthering African Countries

Is the United Nations furthering the development or worsening the situations in African countries? Explore this question with Raghav Pathak.

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The United Nations organisation, founded in 1945 post the end of the second world war, was formed to maintain worldwide peace and security, develop and improve diplomatic relations amongst nations, promote and inculcate cooperation to solve economic, social, cultural and humanitarian problems, whilst playing a significant role in solving international disputes. The organisation provides a forum for bringing countries together in order to achieve worldwide stability. It was originally formed by 51 countries, to avoid further international crises’ – for example, World War Two- and to solve conflicts on a global scale without use of arms and weaponry. This essay examines the UN’s contribution towards African peace and progress.

Since the de-colonisation of Africa, development of the continent has become a priority for the United Nations Organisation. Its “Millennium Development Goals” have led to some progress; work needs to be done to achieve sufficient development. In other words, the UN cannot be lax in their directives. It may be stated that the organisation has made significant effort to do exactly this: Various initiatives have been undertaken for underdeveloped African countries, in multiple fields. From education, to gender equality, the empowerment of women and fighting HIV/AIDS, amongst numerous other diseases. A significant example exemplifying this would be the continued efforts to contain the Ebola virus, a disease that could still potentially create an even larger humanitarian crisis within the continent. The United Nations has various organs working in multiple countries in the region, the most significant including the United Nations Multidimensional Stabilisation Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) and the UNICEF.

MINUSCA: The United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in the Central African Republic

After decades of instability and multiple conflicts, the extremely poor Central African Republic (CAR) witnessed a renewal of violence in December 2012, when a rebel coalition launched a series of multiple attacks. Months of bloodshed and violence, led to the death of thousands, leaving millions starving and in need of humanitarian aid. The situation in the CAR deteriorated, and by December 2013, a new dynamic of violence threatened to lead to the division of the country. Few organisations were deployed to help control the situation in the area, such as MISCA and a French backed peacekeeping force, ‘Operation Sangaris,’ to contain violence that seemed to be spiralling out of control. However, the widespread scale of the crisis made the forces on the ground insufficient. Violence continued to spread, and human rights violations continues to take place throughout the country. On the 10th of April 2014, the MINUSCA was established to last until the 30th of April 2015. Some of the main tasks of MINUSCA (as stated formally by the UN) were:

• Protection of civilians

• Facilitation of the immediate, full, safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance

• Protection of the United Nations

• Promotion and protection of human rights.

• Disarmament, Demobilisation, Reintegration (DDR)

As stated: one measure the UN has taken to ensure development in Africa is the implementation of multiple organs that attempt to solve different crises’ and violence in different parts of the country, by providing help and security to citizens and attempting to solve the aforementioned crises without the need for excess violence and bloodshed. The extensive use of the UN Peacekeeping forces has proved essential in doing so. Tackling rebel groups whilst providing humanitarian, as well as armed support to the government was crucial to ensure the continued survival of the nation.

However, MINUSCA has faced some challenges, such as insufficient sources whilst attempting to aid thousands of civilians in the area. The attacks on small village communities are not being successfully repelled at times, leading to unnecessary death of townspeople and soldiers. To successfully halt the current conflict in the CAR, the UN must:

• to bring the warring parties together to negotiate peace and stop violence.

• To ensure that people have clean water, food, health care and that children and women are protected from violence and abuse.

• To do this, different organs have been employed in the area: UNICEF (United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund), supports hygiene, sanitation, nutrition, and health and child protection. The WFP (World Food Programme) provide food for affected communities, whilst the WHO (World Health Organisation) aids in concerns with health issues. UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund), and UNAIDS help with maternity care and take steps to halt the spread of the HIV disease. The United Nations has been working to ensure that the agencies work together to minimise the impact of the conflict and help the people affected by it.

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Written By Raghav Pathak