Suchergebnisse

The forms of electoral assistance provided by the United Nations & the challenges of supplying such support to transitional states are examined. Overviews of the United Nations provisions regarding electoral assistance & the importance of needs-assessment missions as part of the evaluation procedure are provided. The different types of electoral assistance offered by the United Nations are subsequently identified, eg, election supervision & verification & technical assistance provision. Attention is then dedicated to exploring other United Nations offices & international organizations that cooperate with the United Nations Electoral Assistance Division. Several economic, political, & social difficulties that have obstructed the United Nations provision of electoral backing are also highlighted, eg, the United Nations does not possess considerable financial resources, is asked to provide assistance in uncompetitive elections, & must educate voters about election processes. It is concluded that the United Nations offer of electoral support is complicated by its frequent concomitant role as peacekeeper. J. W. Parker

The capacity of various actors to promote democracy on an international level is evaluated, & the comparative advantages & shortcomings of the United Nations as a democracy-promoting force are studied. Although the US remains the predominant force for international democratization, it is demonstrated that regional organizations (eg, the Organization of American States), nongovernmental organizations, & international organizations (eg, the United Nations) also firmly promote democratic political systems. Whereas the United Nations international recognition as a legitimate regime & network of governance programs are definite comparative advantages, it is stressed that its democracy-promotion budget is smaller than some national governments, thus impeding its capacity to offer electoral assistance. Several relevant challenges facing the United Nations are then articulated, eg, ascertaining whether international support engenders sustainable democratic processes & whether assistance alters a states cultural, political, or social foundations. J. W. Parker

The United Nations contribution to the formation of a democratic government in Namibia is investigated. An overview of Namibia's decolonization is presented, emphasizing the United Nations intervention in the post-colonial state & the circumstances that prompted the formation of the South-West African Peoples Organization. It is subsequently asserted that the aforementioned political movement & the United Nations Transitional Assistance Group combined to achieve Namibia's independence. However, it is asserted that the United Nations transitional administration was primarily concerned with initiating & expediting a legitimate democratic transition rather than establishing long-lasting democratic institutions in Namibia; the consolidation of political power within the remnants of the South-West African Peoples Organization is cited to bolster this reading of the transitional assistance groups objectives for Namibia. Lessons learned from the United Nations experiences in Namibia for future democracy promotion are also stated. Tables. J. W. Parker