Publication

This paper examines the nature of, and prospects for, UN reform in the 21st century. Examining current polemics in the aftermath of the Iraq invasion and a general lack of consensus on both the nature and direction of multilateralism, the author outlines a number of proposals and suggestions for UN management reform, with a particular emphasis on those of the USA in light of its status as the UN's largest financial contributor. The paper concludes that despite inefficiency, the UN remains a point of legitimacy in international relations and that it still can have a significant role to play in international affairs, particularly in the fields of counterterrorism and peacebuilding. It emphaises the need for reform to allow the UN to return to the US foreign policy "toolkit", and more generally return to playing an effective multilateral role in addressing the security, humanitarian and other issues crucially facing many states today.