United Nations, The

This article provides an overview of the history, structure, and character of the United Nations (UN) system. The UN is the by-product of a lineage of attempts at governance that transcends governments. Yet, it is also a by-product of governments. This explains, in part, the tension felt within this intergovernmental body as it attempts to fulfill its primary mandate according to its Charter, viz., to maintain international peace and security. The article focuses on the work of the principal organs of this multilateral organization, particularly in the areas of managing and suppressing conflicts and building peace using proactive and reactive techniques. Clearly, the UN system has proven to be a central player in the governance of the globe ever since the end of World War II. But, given the rapid changes of globalization and the increasing evidence of turbulence in the new world disorder, the UN has to make some difficult choices if it is to remain a relevant institution of global governance. The conclusion suggests that conflict prevention, rather than conflict management, ought to be a priority for the UN in the twenty-first century if sustainable peace is to prevail.