THE United Nations Organization (UNO), successor to the dissolved League of Nations even after 79 years of its existence, has yet to ensure peace, prosperity, security worldwide; the objectives dreamed of at the time of formation of the UNO in 1945 are almost 100 percent unrealized; this attainment failure is fuelling regional, continental geographic wars, inimical trade and patents-marking cut throat competitions among continents, countries. To describe the failure saga in faithful words, it is no less disastrous.
UNO’s current strength comprises 193 member countries, all having the privilege of sitting together in the UN General Assembly. This number of nations is supposed to have the entire globe under its UN peace, security and prosperity umbrella, which is not visible despite the passage of long 79 years. The failure is hiking frustration among nations, groups and unity forums. The ineffectiveness of 193-UN member countries in peaceful settlement of disputes warrants some new structural influence-veding initiatives. One of them feasible is that the UN should open trade and commerce hubs in each continent of the globe to use trade as means to building up healthy global relationing, at least to the level of talking cohesion. The UN can play a significant role in promoting global cooperation and healthy international relations through all-season globalized trade. Establishment of UN trade and commerce hubs on each continent can foster economic growth, reduce inequalities, and enhance financial stability.
Sure immediate benefits of continental trade hubs can be creation of jobs, advantageous international economic explosion, an international culture of investments stimulating innovation and economic growth, improved financial stability, reducing poverty and inequality, encouraging cooperation and dialogue among nations reaching the ideal destination of long-awaited peaceful and stable international relations. All these are bold goals. But not without potential challenges. Among emerging challenges can be establishing common regulatory standards and overcoming bureaucratic hurdles, building and maintaining modern infrastructure, such as transportation networks and logistics facilities with significant investment, external factors, like shifts in global economic power or trade tolerance.
The existing initiatives: The UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) already works to promote economic growth and development through trade but its pace is so slow, almost invisible compared to the size of the UNO as a world body. The current economic or social development digital data exposes the weakness of the UN to use trade and commerce as means of building global peace and harmonious existence of all parallel living cultures. The real necessity seems continental trade hubs assessing potential benefits. For this grand purpose collaboration with governments, businesses and civil society organizations can build support and momentum. And strategic partnerships with international organizations, regional development banks and private sector entities can ensure funding and expertise.
By addressing the challenges and building on existing initiatives, the UN can help create a more interconnected and prosperous world through trade and commerce. On the humane side, it will empower women and the youth through global economic opportunities. Continental trade hubs can be established in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, North America, Australia and Oceania. Next related need is to simplify trade procedures, reduce barriers and increase transparency; for capacity building adequate training and technical assistance to developing countries, aggressive promotion of public-private partnerships, establishing a dispute solving process for trade related conflicts, partnership with international organizations (WTO, IMF, World Bank, collaboration with regional economic communities (African Union, ASEAN, EU, engaging private sector entities and civil society organizations, securing funding through donations, grants and public-private partnerships and establishment of a Secretariat to oversee stages of implementation.
All these initiatives will result in actualization of UN Trade Diplomacy. The UN needs for implementation of its disputes settlement recommendations, rulings a big economic bait. That bait will be provided by establishing in each continent functional UN Trade and Commerce Hubs. By this roadmap the UN will be able to reflect its face younger than its consumed long period of 79 years.
—The writer, a retired Secretary in AJK Govt, is a senior columnist, based in Rawalpindi.
