No one would dispute the fact that the United Nations Organization has failed in its declared objectives of freeing the world from poverty, war, diseases and environmental destruction and global terrorism.

It is mainly because the UN has been taking decisions through the Security Council in a way that suits the interests of the US and other Western powers with scant regard for that of the people in developing and underdeveloped countries. It is the Security Council’s double standard in handling the issues that has cost the UN its credibility.

While the problems of UN have been further confounded by its growing debts as most of the member countries, particularly the United States, are not very keen on fulfilling their financial commitment toward it, the UN has been accused of corruption in connection with the Oil for Food scheme.

Another problem has to do with the location of UN headquarters. Since it is situated in New York the US administration can stop any head of state, whom the administration does not like, attending the UN sessions by denying them entry visa. For instance, the US administration had denied entry visa to Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, who had been invited to address the General Assembly a few years ago. Again, the US recently threatened to deny entry visa to Lebanese President Emile Lahoud, who was invited to attend the deliberations of the UN General Assembly. The administration, however, modified its stand later saying that he could attend the meeting but would not be invited to President George Bush’s dinner party being held to honor the heads of state attending the UN General Assembly. This kind of discriminatory attitude, obviously, is a clear violation of the agreement under which the US city was made the UN headquarters.

Another gross violation of the sanctity of the UN was US involvement in breaking into the secretary-general’s office and removing some parts of the report sent by the Saddam government detailing Iraq’s military capabilities. The report also contained details of the US companies that colluded with Saddam’s regime with the connivance of the US administration.

Despite the failures of the UN, kings, presidents and prime ministers of the world have flocked to New York to attend the celebrations marking the 60th anniversary of the world body.

In the 2000 millennium summit held at the turn of the century, the leaders of the rich countries promised that they would try their best to free the world from poverty, help promote development and stop the spread of infectious diseases etc. The sweet promises have not, however, been fulfilled till date.

It is under these circumstances that the world calls for reforming and changing the UN.

Despite the US-led efforts to wipe out international terrorism, the menace has only spread deeper into the heart of Europe, Asia and Africa. This only goes to prove that no single country, however powerful, could be able to defeat terrorism without cooperation from others.

The United Nations has reached the age when normally people go on retirement. The organization should pull together its energies and rejuvenate with a renewed charter reflecting the aspirations of all the people in the world. This is the only way to help the weak, poor and sick who are deprived of their rights. The reform of the UN will be a wasted effort unless the following factors are considered.

• The General Assembly resolutions should be binding on all members.

The Security Council’s role should be the follow-up of the implementation of the General Assembly resolutions and taking necessary measures to ensure this.

• The General Assembly resolutions should be adopted by absolute majority.

• Abolish the veto power and expand the Security Council membership including permanent seats.

• Secretary-general should have the authority to monitor the implementation of the UN Charter and publicly announce any violations including nonpayment of financial contributions toward the UN budget.

• Secretary-general should be elected by the General Assembly, not by the Security Council.

• All other top UN posts should be filled by election. Another very important proposal is to transfer the UN headquarters from US to Switzerland so that the US grip on UN could be lessened and the voices of other member countries heard.

The UN requires genuine reforms, not cosmetic changes; otherwise the organization would continue to be a tool in the hands of big powers to the detriment of the poor nations.