With the advent of the next quarter of this century, the UN, long heralded as a beacon for global peacekeeping and mediation, faces mounting criticism for its inability to effectively address raging conflicts, including Israel’s genocide in Gaza and the Russia-Ukraine war.

Recent years have seen a noticeable trend of individual nations stepping into roles traditionally filled by the UN, acting as mediators in conflicts around the world. This shift, according to experts, has not only highlighted the limitations of the UN but also raised questions about the efficacy of its structural framework and leadership strategies.

Several recent examples underscore the growing role countries are playing in conflict resolution. Turkiye has been instrumental in fostering dialogue between Somalia and Ethiopia to address the Somaliland crisis while, back in August 2024, the Turkish National Intelligence Organisation (MIT) facilitated the largest prisoner swap operation in recent memory, involving the US, Russia, Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway and Belarus.

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Similarly, Gulf nations have emerged as key players, with Saudi Arabia mediating the Sudanese civil war, while the UAE played a pivotal role in a prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine.

Even powers such as China have taken up a role in mediation, hosting talks between Palestinian groups Fatah and Hamas last year, following the 2023 negotiations between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

According to Susan Akram, a clinical professor at Boston University School of Law, the UN’s inability to effectively prevent wars and atrocities, such as the Israeli genocide in Gaza, stems from structural imbalances within the organisation.

“The division of powers between a small group of states at the Security Council and the majority of states represented in the General Assembly is the result of the post-WWII Allied states’ decision to permanently control UN intervention in the world order,” Akram explained.

At the core of this dysfunction, she added, is the structure of the Security Council, dominated by five veto-wielding nations: the US, Russia, China, France and the UK. These nations wield disproportionate power, determining when and how the UN can act to maintain global peace.

“This unequal power-sharing is built into the UN Charter and has remained inviolable despite the growing economic, population and political clout of........

© Middle East Monitor