Padrão de Resposta

The demise of the Soviet Union marks a watershed in the history of the UN Security Council. Not only has the amount of resolutions increased in the aftermath of the Cold War, but the substance of its decision has also changed. Peacekeeping operations have been enhanced, new topics have been introduced at the top of the agenda of the council and stiffer verification mechanisms have been concocted in light of the changing global scenario.
“An agenda for peace”, a UN report published at the beginning of the 1990s, stressed the new features of armed conflicts and urged states to improve the peacekeeping operations’ capacity to tackle the daunting challenges posed by the new scenario. Thenceforth, the Security Council, aware of the complexity of the burgeoning number of intrastate conflicts, has aimed at diversifying the roles played by peace operations. Peacemaking and peacebuilding activities are now as important as monitoring prior peace deals. The changing nature of armed conflicts since the end of the Cold War has demanded brand new responses from the Security Council.
Another major change is the discussion of topics which are not related to the traditional concept of security. This concept has evolved from a strict military bias to a more diverse understanding. The new concept of “securitization”, which was consolidated by Barry Buzan, entails not only the military domain but also the societal, environmental and economic realms. Any threat may be securitized by states and put at the top of their political agenda. Accordingly, the Security Council has held meeting on climate change and human rights.
Finally, the Security Council has improved its verification tools through recent decisions such as resolutions 1373 and 1540. The latter refers to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and the former is related to terrorism. Both established specific committees to oversee their implementation by UN member-states. Countries have to submit national reports to the committees’ scrutiny. This change was spurred by the 2001 terrorist assaults in the United States and the political will of some permanent members.
The international scenario engendered by the end of the Cold War has rendered the UN Security Council more pro-active inasmuch as new challenges have demanded a streamlined approach. A broader agenda, multifaceted peace operations and new verification mechanisms are important changes in its actions.