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
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Climate, Peace and Security in Sudan
16 May 2022In this new Fact Sheet, researchers from NUPI and SIPRI’s joint Climate-related Peace and Security (CPSR) Project explore the nexus between climate change and security in Sudan
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EPON organizes a series of roundtable discussions at the United Nations Secretariat
6 May 2022The Effectiveness of Peace Operations Network (EPON) is organizing a number of events in New York from 10 to 12 May 2022, aimed at sharing the research of the network with the UN community. The programme is as follows:
Publications about united nations
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Publication
Assessing the Effectiveness of the United Nations Mission to South Sudan (UNMISS)
2022Ahead of the March 2022 renewal of the mandate for the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), the Effectiveness of Peace Operations Network (EPON) conducted an assessment focused on two core mandate areas: protection of civilians (PoC) and support for the peace process. Based on the assessment to follow,...- Adam Day
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Publication
: Report
UN-ICC Cooperation: Walking A Tightrope.
2021United Nations (UN) peacekeepers are frequently in a position to assist the International Criminal Court (ICC) in its efforts to prosecute war criminals in conflict zones. This research note discusses the conditions under which UN peacekeepers assist the ICC and the potential costs and benefits of assistance... -
Publication
: Popular scientific lecture
Small states in the UNSC: Lessons learned from Estonia and Norway
Presentation given at conference on Small States in the UN Security Council.
Research projects about united nations
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Research project
Public–Private Development Interfaces in Ethiopia (DEVINT)
2021 - 2024 (Ongoing)Private actors are increasingly operating in the name of development and in partnership with international development actors. This project (DEVINT) will explore the nexus of private actors and publicly...
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Research project
Ad hoc crisis response and international organisations (ADHOCISM)
2021 - 2025 (Ongoing)ADHOCISM asks what is the impact of ad hoc crisis responses on international organisations?
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Foto: Kyrre Lien/NTB Scanpix
Research project
Reference group for Norway's membership in the UN Security Council
2021 - 2022 (Ongoing)Norway has a seat in the UN Security Council in 2021 - 2022. Through this project we will facilitate meetings with the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to discuss important strategic issues.