The UN at 75

(2020) Mohammad Bagher Sheikhi Iran, Tehran

It was 1945 that the United Nations (UN) was funded. So, it turns 75 this year (2020). The charter of the UN was signed on 26 June 1945, in San Francisco (United States), at the concluusion of the United Nations Confrence on International Organization, and came into force on 24 October 1945. The Statute of the International Court of Justice is an integral part of the Charter (see UN Charter, Introductory Note).

Acording to the article 3 of the Charter, the Members of the UN have divieded into original Members and Other admitted Members. States which, having participated in the UN Conference on International Organization at San Francisco 1945, signed the Charter and ratified it, or having previously signed the Declaration by United Nations of 1 January 1942, are original Members (51 States, including Iran). The admission of other peace-loving ststes is possible in accordance with the rulse of the Charter. The growth of membership of the UN (51 at 1945 and 193 at present) demonstrates the universality of organization and its success in legetimacy.

1945 Original 51 Members (see. www.un.org)

Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, France, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, India, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Liberia, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippine Republic, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, Union of South Africa, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela, Yugoslavia, (+Poland).

In the course of about 75 years, the UN has played the leading role in shaping our present world. Despite some successful programes, inter alia, dicolonization and emergence of new independent states, New International Economic Order (NIEO) and peacekeeping operation, the UN has large failures in economic, political, social and security dimensions. It has largely failed to safeguard international peace and security (particularly in the Midel East), poverty eradication, development of universal health, protecting fundamental human rights and environment, development of peaceful and friendly relationship among the nations. The Security Council of the UN, with its five permanent members (P5: US, UK, France, Russia and China), has crippled the UN decision-making system because of their conflicting interests and Veto power. In its 75th anniversary, the Organization have the time to reveiw the shortcomings and failures building a better United Natins for all.