The United Nations is marking the 70th anniversary since its foundation. It emerged in the aftermath of World War II in an international order which seemed to be fraught with ideological rivalries and the looming threat of nuclear conflict.

Hegemonic powers seemed to fade away. The realisation that the cost of maintaining an empire was unprofitable and unsustainable co-incided with the widespread demand for self-determination. As the requests for self-determination were met with approval from the old imperial metropoles, the number of members within the UN soared.

At its foundation in 1945, the UN counted 51 sovereign states as members. With the admission of South Sudan in 2011, this number reached 193.

Unlike the former League of Nations, the UN makes no distinction between large and small states. It uses the principle of sovereign equality; all sovereign states possess the same legal and voting rights in the UN General Assembly.

Decisions concerning the admission of new members and matters of peace and stability require a two-thirds majority of votes while other matters are decided upon by simple majority.

The most powerful body within the UN is the Security Council. Among its many roles, it is tasked with the coordination of military operations, the enforcement of economic sanctions and arms inspections.

Ten elected members serve for two-year terms alongside five permanent members who have the power of veto. These are the US, the UK, Russia, France and China.

Another equally important organ is the International Court of Justice whose role is to settle disputes submitted to it by states in accordance with international law.

The UN set-up makes it an attractive forum for a number of nation states. It provides a platform for members as it serves as a meeting point for states which have stormy relations.

It also deploys a number of peacekeepers in various turbulent areas of the globe and has been active in advancing a number of causes relating to development, climate change, poverty and sustainable development.

Engagement with the UN is an important aspect of the foreign policies of a number of states. They eagerly participate within its fora and many contribute to the development of its various treaties and resolutions.

Malta follows this trend. The causes it championed include the Law of the Sea Convention (1967), the recognition of the world’s ageing population (1968) and climate change (1988).

Malta was also elected as a member of the Security Council between 1983 and 1984 and, in 1990, Guido de Marco served as president of the UN General Assembly.

Despite the various attempts to reform the organisation, no real progress has been registered

Milestone anniversaries serve as excellent opportunities to reflect on where organisations stand and whether they have been effective in their intended aims. The UN was founded with the aim of establishing some political order out of the chaos of World War II.

The five permanent members on the Security Council consist of the five main victors of that war. It would be pertinent to question whether this structure, devised in very particular circumstances, is still adequate.

The permanent members of the Security Council do not include key players which have emerged since; most notably India (the world’s largest democracy), Japan (the UN’s second-largest donor) and a permanent representative from Africa (the second most populous continent).

Moreover, the veto system inthe Security Council has often beena stumbling block for the resolutionof conflicts and the imposition of justified sanctions.

This has led to widespread frustration at the UN’s inability to mediate and resolve conflict and to safeguard lives of civilians during violent conflicts. In recent years, some blatant failures dented the UN’s credibility.

In 1992, its mandate in Somalia was routinely ignored and the country descended into further chaos fuelled by aggressive warlords. In Rwanda and Bosnia, UN peacekeepers watched as rival forces committed acts of genocide.

Its credibility is not helped by the fact that, despite their precarious human rights record, countries such as China, Cuba and Saudi Arabia have been elected to the UN’s Human Rights Council. Despite its emphasis on democracy and human rights, it has often been found wanting in its ability to promote such values.

The present structure of the UN does not take into account the numerous challenges in the current international order. The proliferation of non-state actors such as terrorist groups and criminal organisations are now pronounced threats to peace and stability.

The challenges the UN faces are numerous. Despite the various attempts to reform the organisation, no real progress has been registered. As it celebrates its 70th anniversary, the UN looks tired and aged.

However, there are also a lot of positive points which can help drive reform. The UN offers small- and medium-sized states the opportunity to voice their concerns on an international platform. Such states, often located on the margins of the continents, would otherwise struggle to get their point of view across.

The UN has also been vital in creating a debate – albeit somewhat superficially – on human rights, sustainable development and peace.

The principle of sovereign equality remains crucial and, if there is sufficient political will, it is ultimately up to UN members to drive reform forward.

The first secretary general of the United Nations, Dag Hammarskjold, urged people to “stop thinking of the United Nations as a weird Picasso abstraction, and see it as a drawing they made themselves.” These words ring true on this important anniversary.