今年恰逢联合国成立75周年。作为时至今日最具代表性的国际组织，和平与安全、人权、国际法和发展等仍然是联合国使命中的主要议题。

然而，西方发达国家正因为其过时的政府体制与现实脱节，不能适应全球性的变化，而陷入停滞不前、进退两难的困境，导致多边组织效率低下的问题愈发明显。

图片来源：视觉中国

联合国曾多次尝试改革，有大量提案建议改变安理会的封闭式结构，构建一个更具代表性的安理会，以反映新兴国家和地区的崛起，及其在和平与安全方面日益增长的国际责任。这是完全合理的要求。

自1979年以来，发展中国家多次提出了关于扩大及改革安理会的提案，其中值得一提的是2005年的三个提案，分别由巴西、非洲联盟和“团结协商”组织发起。

发达国家和发展中国家之间、东西方之间地缘政治博弈和权力斗争由此跃然呈现于世人面前。各方分歧的焦点在于部分国家是否具有足够的代表性、是否有资格加入安理会，如亚洲的日本和印度、欧洲的意大利和西班牙，还有非洲的尼日利亚和南非。尽管多次尝试进行对话，这场辩论还是无果而终。

图片来源：新华社

这些改革方案“流产”的原因出在各成员国身上：许多正当提案之所以失败，是因为成员国在联合国继续推行现有规则，而不愿做出改变。

然而中国是个例外。在去年第74届联合国大会第33次全体会议上，中国常驻联合国代表张军发言称，中方支持安理会就席位平等、成员数目增加和其他相关问题进行合理必要的改革，以适应当前形势。

中国的提议出自其对于增强安理会代表性的重视，旨在帮助发展中国家，尤其是非洲国家发声。

联合国秘书长古特雷斯日前表示，新冠病毒大流行是二战以来人类面临的最大考验，他强调发达国家应该帮助欠发达国家，并呼吁“立即采取协调一致的应对措施，以遏制病毒传播，终结这场大流行”。

图片来源：中国日报

此次新冠肺炎疫情表明，以联合国为主导的国际合作能够有效地警示危机，防范风险，与其此前在H1N1、H5N1及非典等疫情发生时的做法一脉相承。

2015年4月，联合国秘书处宣布组建全球卫生危机反应小组，其目的就在于总结经验，提出建议，加强国家和国际层面的反应能力，以应对未来的公共卫生危机。来自不同领域的专家紧急呼吁，要求为公共卫生危机作好应对准备，并向各机构提供资金，为可能到来的经济危机早做打算。与此同时，联合国还建议增加发展援助资金。

对于当时的联合国而言，其所面临的挑战就是如何加强协调机制，达成上述目的，回应迫切需求。

联合国并没有失败，它所传递的信息是清晰的，但是却未能引起广泛重视。多边主义也没有失败，失败的是弱化多边主义的某些国家领导人。

多边主义和单边主义、合作主义和保护主义之间的的对抗，是一场把联合国所有成员国的核心利益与未来作为赌注的较量，是联合国将长期面对的挑战。

图片来源：视觉中国

联合国的改革必须走向新模式，必须建立在协调、包容与合作的基础之上。新模式应当具有迅速反应的能力，能够尊重并吸纳多方意见，从而促进193个成员国的根本利益，最重要的是联合国的长远利益。

今天，我们亟需建立一套基于各国参与积极、信念坚定、态度负责的多边主义机制，才能更好应对人类社会的共同难题。

Multilateral paradigm needed for UN reform

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who called the novel coronavirus pandemic the greatest test since World War II, has stressed that developed countries should assist less-developed nations, and he called for "an immediate, coordinated health response to suppress transmission and end the pandemic".

As the UN turns 75 this year, the global body continues to be the most representative international organization. Peace and security, human rights, and international law and development are still the main issues of its mission.

Western countries are paralyzed by dilemmas created by their obsolete government systems.

Consequently, the inefficiency of multilateral organizations becomes clear.

The attempts to reform the UN have been many. In numerous proposals, it was suggested to change the hermetic structure of the Security Council. It is legitimate to demand a more representative structure that reflects the surge of new, dynamic countries and regions.

Since 1979, more than 10 countries have proposed expanding the council. Three of them are worth mentioning: the proposal led by Brazil, the one led by the African Union and one called Uniting for Consensus.

Geopolitical pulses and power relations emerged immediately, from the North and South, and from the East and West. The positions in disagreement questioned the incorporation of Asian countries such as Japan and India, and European countries like Italy and Spain.

They also questioned the criteria of countries like Nigeria and South Africa. The debate was left incomplete after several attempts at dialogue were silenced.

The reform proposals failed because of the member states. Many more valid proposals failed because the member states have imposed rules on the United Nations that they do not wish to change.

China has become the exception. During the 33rd plenary meeting of the 74th session of the UN General Assembly, China, through Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the UN, said it supported reasonable reform of the Security Council to address current needs.

The Chinese proposal is based on giving priority to the voices of developing nations, especially African countries.

The pandemic has shown how international organizations, mainly the UN, have warned of the dangers and risks, having as precedents the H1N1(swine flu), H5N1(avian flu) and severe acute respiratory syndrome outbreaks.

In April 2015, the UN Secretariat put into operation the Global Health Crisis Task Force, with the goal of providing recommendations aimed at strengthening national and international prevention and response systems against possible future health crises.

Different groups of experts urgently requested efforts to prepare for health emergencies and the funding of institutions to plan for economic risks.

Another recommendation called for increasing the funding for development assistance.

The UN didn't fail. Its message was clear, but it wasn't heard. Multilateralism didn't fail; world leaders failed when they weakened it.

The challenge continues to be multilateralism and cooperation versus protectionism and unilateralism, which put at stake the vital interests of all members of the UN and their future.

It is essential to apply reform that stands for a different paradigm, one based on an integrated, inclusive and cooperative approach. What is needed is a multilateral paradigm that allows rapid response and promotes not just the fundamental interests of the 193 member states, but mainly the long-term interests of the UN.

Today, we urgently need multilateralism based on strong and committed states in order to face the common problems of humanity.

The author is a professor at Catholic University of Salta in Argentina and a visiting scholar at the Fudan Development Institute of Fudan University. The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

来源 | 观中国

供稿 | 复旦发展研究院，翻译 ｜焦露曦