BÖLGESEL ÖRGÜTLER

The United Nations (UN) is the new global organization for the maintenance of international peace and security founded in 1945 as the post- Second World War universal organization. It is characterized by its universal quality, and still the only general-purpose, universal international organization that exists.

Regionalism has three displays in the UN system: regional economic commissions (linked to the Economic and Social Council, ECOSOC), regional electoral groupings (linked to the General Assembly and the Security Council), and cooperation with the regional arrangements or agencies as envisaged at Chapter VIII with the aim of maintenance of international peace and security.

Although the idea of founding another universal political organization after the war has arisen early during the Second World War (1941), universal membership was decided only at 1944 Yalta Conference. Relations between the new universal political organization and other international organizations including the regional ones were discussed extensively during the founding conference gathered in San Francisco in 1945. The main focus of these discussions was their future role in the maintenance of international peace and security, the first aim of the UN stated in article 1 of the Charter.

Some organizations such as Organization of American States (OAS) and Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) are in the meaning of Chapter VIII. Arab League and former Organization of African Union were treated as regional organizations by the UN generally.

These five regional groups are Africa (GAFS), Asia-Pacific (GASS), Eastern Europe (EEC), Latin America and Caribbean (GRULAC), Western Europe and Other States (WEOG). Although they are called “regional”, its post-war origins can be observed in the decision of creating groups called “Eastern Europe” and “Western Europe and Other States”. Although Europe is a geographical region, “Eastern” and “Western” Europe are clearly political ones reflecting post-Second World War arrangements. After more than 25 years from the dissolution of the political split in Europe, electoral system still is not reformed accordingly.

Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), established in 1958, Addis Ababa,

Only Benin is one of the members of ECOWAS organisations.

During the fifth meeting in 2003, it was decided to hold these meetings annually, and they should be prepared beforehand. Six working groups were established, each led by a UN agency: peacekeeping, civilian protection, respect for human rights in counter-terrorism, dialogue of civilizations, disarmament, and the reform of the partnerships between the UN and regional and other organizations.

Antonio Guterres is the present Secretay-General of UN succeeding Ban Ki Moon.

Surprisingly, the UNDPA unit responsible for organizing these meetings was dissolved, and the Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, who succeeded Kofi Annan in 2007, stopped the high-level meetings convened by the Secretary-General.

Although the idea of founding another universal political organization after the war has arisen early during the Second World War (1941), universal membership was decided only at 1944 Yalta Conference. Relations between the new universal political organization and other international organizations including the regional ones were discussed extensively during the founding conference gathered in San Francisco in 1945. The main focus of these discussions was their future role in the maintenance of international peace and security, the first aim of the UN stated in the article 1 of the Charter. The answer is A.

The UN Charter recognized regionalism explicitly by devoting its Chapter VIII to the provisions governing the relationship between the regional arrangements and agencies and the UN with the aim of maintaining international peace and security. The answer is E.

Regional groupings and commissions within the United Nations reflect a general trend to come together and collaborate on a regional basis. In
the practice of the UN, the regional principle has found wide application. It has been applied in the economic, social and cultural work of the UN. The establishment of regional economic commissions under the ECOSOC and regional arrangements provided for in the Constitution of the World Health Organization can be given as examples from the early days of the UN. Electoral groups and the principle of equitable geographical representation through them have been developed in 1960s. The answer is B.

Although its origins date back to the end of the Second World War, five regional groups took its present shape in 1963. The aim of it was to achieve a more equitable representation in the Security Council and other bodies. These five regional groups are Africa (GAFS), Asia-Pacific (GASS), Eastern Europe (EEC), Latin America and Caribbean (GRULAC), Western Europe and Other States (WEOG). Although they are called “regional”, its post-war origins can be observed in the decision of creating groups called “Eastern Europe” and “Western Europe and Other States”. Although Europe is a geographical region, “Eastern” and “Western” Europe are clearly political ones reflecting post-Second World War arrangements. After more than 25 years from the dissolution of the political split in Europe, electoral system still is not reformed accordingly. The answer is C.

UNICEF has divided its members into regional groups differently: Central and Eastern Europe and CIS States, East Asia and the Pacific, Eastern and Southern Africa, Industrialized Countries, Latin America and the Caribbean, Middle East and North Africa, South Asia, West and Central Africa. The answer is D.

There are three types of membership, namely, full membership, associate membership and observer status. As a rule, member states in the
region are accepted as the members of the related regional commission. They may be listed by name, or collectively defined by reference to the area. In addition, specified non-regional states may also have a full membership because of their economic activity in the region or they were responsible for non-self-governing territories within the region. The answer is B.

All regional commissions support the regional cooperation in different areas, but there are differences in terms of intensity and the direction of this support. ECLAC has proved to be the most effective of the commissions. It was established in 1948 and developed the ‘Latin American structuralism’ theory as an answer to the region’s need of economic development and social growth. It proposed strengthening the industrial factor, and an export strategy through intra-Latin American trade and suppression of trade tariffs in the core countries early in 1960s. The answer is E.

The Security Council was to encourage the settlement of local disputes by regional means and to use regional arrangement for enforcement action. Article 52/2 gives priority to the regional arrangements and agencies in solving local disputes before referring them to the Security Council. In order to be classified as a regional organization in the sense of Chapter VIII, regional organizations need to be able to provide some sort of peaceful mechanism by which local disputes within the region can be solved. The answer is D.

Before 1990, there was not a single Security Council resolution referring to regional organizations as a partner for running peacekeeping operations. Nevertheless, since 1990s there has been a consistent increase in the peacekeeping operations organized by regional organizations with the UN’s missions deployed concurrently with or following the regional missions. The most important regional actors are the European Union (EU) and the African Union (AU). One must bear in mind that, peacekeeping operations were not envisaged by the Charter itself. It causes a lack of clarity of the legal basis and the nature of the relationship between the UN and regional organizations. The answer is C.

The Security Council started the practice of support for the principle of ‘regional solutions to regional problems’ in 1991. It passed numerous resolutions and referred to regional arrangements in the context of conflicts. In 1993, it invited the regional organizations to study the ways of strenthening their functions in international peace and security and improve coordination with the UN. The answer is B.