Theme

United Nations

The United Nations (UN), established in 1945, is an international organization with states as members.

The UN functions both as an arena for states to negotiate international rules and norms, and as an actor set to monitor these rules and engage in activities to further specific goals, such as peacekeeping operations and humanitarian relief. The UN is unique among international organizations because it represents the most encompassing and ambitious attempt to institutionalize cooperation and to regulate inter-state relations through rules. The UN consists of a General Assembly where all member states are represented, a Security Council, and a Secretariat. The broader UN system is made up of programme and funds like the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and specialized agencies like the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

At NUPI, central areas of research on the UN include:

the evolution of norms of non-intervention
the politics of the UN Security Council and the role of global summits
the legitimacy and efficacy of the UN’s operational activities

News about united nations

Climate, Peace and Security Fact Sheet: Somalia

3 Feb 2021

Somalia is highly susceptible to the effects of climate change and extreme weather. Without anticipatory preventive approaches, these factors are likely to exacerbate existing vulnerabilities and reduce the people’s livelihood options, which in turn may have negative impacts...

Security policy Peace operations Climate Africa United Nations International organizations Conflict resolution
The impact of climate change on peace and security in Somalia
4 Feb 2021
- - Anab Ovidie Grand
A new collaborative NUPI-SIPRI project examines how climate change affect peace and security in states and regions on the UN Security Council's agenda. On 4 February, the project launched its first fact sheet, looking into Somalia.

Climate Africa The Middle East and North Africa Conflict resolution United Nations Peace operations
Framing Peace Operations in a Changing Global Landscape

7 Dec 2020

Today is the first day of this year’s Virtual Challenges Annual Forum VCAF20, which runs from 7 to 11 December 2020, with the overarching theme “Framing Peace Operations in a Changing Global Landscape”. The Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI) is co-hosting...

Peace operations United Nations Utenrikspolitikk

All news about united nations (total 39)

Publications about united nations

Publication : Popular scientific article
Digitale trusler blir kinkig for Norge i Sikkerhetsrådet
2020
- - Erik Kursetgjerde
- - Niels Nagelhus Schia
(Op-ed in Norwegian): De fleste land rangerer trusler via det digitale rom som en av de største utfordringene for det 21. århundret. På tross av dette har tematikken knapt vært nevnt i FNs sikkerhetsråd. Hva kommer det av? Og kan Norge gjøre noe med det? spør Niels Nagelhus Schia og Erik Kursetgjerde...
United Nations Security policy Cyber International organizations
Publication : Report
Performance of Peace Operations
2020
- - Cedric H. de Coning
- - Jenny Nortvedt
How should we assess and improve the performance of peace operations? This is the topic of the third dialogue strand of VCAF20. UN peace operations are under growing pressure to increase performance and enhance mandate delivery. This background paper assesses recent research into the effectiveness and...
Peace operations Conflict resolution United Nations International organizations
Publication : Report
Intergovernmental checkmate on cyber? Processes on cyberspace in the United Nations
2020
- - Erik Kursetgjerde
Cyberspace is an increasingly controversial field on the international agenda. Despite the fact that processes on the thematic have been going on in the UN since 1998, a more significant international agreement is needed on what basic principles should apply in cyberspace. Small states have the opportunity...
Cyber Utenrikspolitikk United Nations