UN-American, Pg10.

Key Highlights:

• President Trump is reducing the UN's influence in the global order during his second term.
• Trump touts himself as a peacemaker, claiming to have "ended seven wars" in his second term.
• The Heritage Foundation's Project 2025 advocates for reducing US contributions to agencies undermining sovereignty.
• The US has withdrawn from the WHO, UNESCO, and the Human Rights Council and ceased funding to UNRWA.
• China is strategically increasing its influence within the UN by placing nationals in key positions.
• The UNSC is facing gridlock due to rivalries between the US, China, and Russia.
• India's financial contribution to the UN is less than one per cent of the regular budget.

Detailed Insights:

• Trump's approach signals a shift from multilateralism to unilateralism, emphasizing national sovereignty over international cooperation.
• The Project 2025 playbook seeks to transform multilateral bodies into instruments of American policy, potentially leading to a US exit from the UN.
• Since January 2025, the US has drastically cut funding to UN operations, including peacekeeping and global health initiatives.
• China aims to fill the vacuum left by the US by promoting initiatives aligned with the Belt and Road and advocating for "global governance".
• The UNSC is paralyzed by competing vetoes, hindering its ability to address even humanitarian issues effectively.
• India needs to focus on high-priority issues like global governance of AI and build coalitions that transcend the North-South divide.
• India should increase its financial contributions to the UN and pursue reforms to enhance the organization's effectiveness.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Multilateralism: Cooperation among multiple countries on various issues.
• Unilateralism: A country acting on its own without regard to other nations.
• National Sovereignty: The principle that each state has supreme authority over its own affairs.