3.5: UN Responsibilities
Strengthen the ability of the United Nations to fulfil its responsibilities. Other Information:
In a world of global threats, security depends increasingly on a rule-based international order. One of NATO's priorities,
therefore, should be to strengthen the ability of the United Nations to fulfil its responsibilities.
Stakeholder(s):
- UN: Partnership with the UN. NATO's partnership with the UN is also a central one due to the role played by that body within the
world system and by the Allies' pledge of faith (invoked in the preamble to the North Atlantic Treaty) "in the purposes and
principles of the Charter of the United Nations." The Security Council's mandate -- to safeguard international security and
peace -- meshes well with the commitment of NATO members to "unite their efforts for collective defence and for the preservation
of peace and security." It is clearly in NATO's interests to support the UN and to help strengthen its capacity to perform
the many missions assigned to it by the global community. NATO and the UN have worked together in a number of conflict zones,
with the Alliance providing operational support and security so that the UN can move ahead on reconstruction, development,
and governance-building. Although their partnership dates back more than a decade -- and while NATO and the UN signed a framework
agreement in 2008 which has improved practical cooperation in some cases -- problems remain. UN personnel have been disappointed,
on occasion, with the level of security and support that NATO provides. NATO tends to wait until a mission begins before starting
to coordinate with the UN. When in theatre, the two institutions sometimes engage in disputes over their respective responsibilities.
Indicator(s):
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