International Relations and the United Nations

Syllabus tag: KCSE | History and Government | Form 4 | Topic 29 The United Nations

Lesson objectives

By the end of this topic, you should be able to:

• Explain international relations and the benefits of co-operation between states.
• Describe the formation, aims and principles of the United Nations.
• Describe the six principal organs and the specialised agencies.
• Assess the achievements and problems of the United Nations.

Summary

International relations are the dealings between states. The United Nations was formed in 1945 to maintain peace, promote human rights and co-operation, after the League failed. It has six principal organs — Assembly, Security Council, ECOSOC, Trusteeship Council, Secretariat and the International Court of Justice — and its central weakness remains the veto.