Assessing the Obama Administration s Role in the Field of Multilateral Diplomacy and Nuclear Disarmament NPSGlobal Miguel Marín Bosch February 2013 On October 9, 2009, the Norwegian Nobel Committee announced that it had awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2009 to President Barack Obama for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples. The Committee attached special importance to Obama's vision of and work for a world without nuclear weapons. The Committee added that President Obama has created a new climate in international politics. Multilateral diplomacy has regained a central position, with emphasis on the role that the United Nations and other international institutions can play. One way to assess the results of President Obama s efforts in multilateral diplomacy and 1 / 8
nuclear disarmament is to study the votes cast by the United States in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and compare them to those of his predecessors. To put those votes into context, it might be useful to begin with a description of the evolution of the voting pattern in the UNGA. The data for this study is taken from the votes cast by UN Member States on the 4,437 General Assembly resolutions adopted by a recorded vote since 1946 (and through December 2012). The analytical tools the Coincidence Index and its median are described in the methodological note at the end of this text. The Assembly s sessions have been grouped as follows: 1946 to 1968 and then by U.S. presidential administrations. The degree of agreement within the UNGA increased steadily until the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and then began to drop. Graph 1 shows that evolution in terms of the United States presidential administrations since 1969. It also includes the extent of coincidence among all UN Members on those resolutions regarding nuclear disarmament issues. Graph 1 Median of the Coincidence Index Among All UN Members on UN General Assembly Resolutions Adopted by a Recorded Vote 2 / 8
The Nations. representative countries Index degree the On 17.9 Whereas has States administrations reversed with disarmament Graph Median Resolutions nuclear United remained following the and with and 2of of first They during 6.1%, the agreement States other disarmament Obama resolutions median Adopted issues. items two rather focus members forum. Coincidence of respectively. Jimmy UN graphs Presidents of administration. constant, Members For of The the by Carter s what measured the regarding of comparative questions offer UNGA s graphs a its Coincidence Recorded has Index Ronald regional the a Index term picture occurred compare multilateral graphs between all agenda. it of The Reagan was with purposes the group office Vote same Index show 77.4%. all United in the 0 (Western UN the and items issues. United trend among votes a the UNGA, Members By growing Bill 1000. States George as median may 2005-2008 cast This States Clinton s all well European From the be UN by disagreement was W. of observed international all the attitude Members Bush. 1946 resolutions the first especially UN issues and had United administration to General The towards Others) 1968 with fallen was between trend States community s apparent relating regard period, to 671 Assembly UNGA the is was to its also Coincidence (or United those the and lowest to during temporarily for nuclear resolutions 67.1%). the given. United again most example, of nuclear level, other The 3 / 8
Graph Median Resolutions 3of the Adopted Coincidence by a Recorded Index of the Vote United Regarding States Nuclear on UN General Disarmament Assembly Items 4 / 8
It its not United Table is Republican unusual. obvious United 1States lists resolutions that the States Let predecessor. votes us an take incoming Votes during cast a closer on by the What 261 Democratic the United first look United has year Nations occurred the of States administration a agenda Democratic General during items 271 the those Assembly has administration: that first reversed UNGA registered Obama Resolutions sessions. the administration 1977, a trend change 1993 306 established and the 1976 thus 2009. by Total Recorded United Yes adopted States votes vote by a vote 98 90 106 95 No 21 38 75 Abstention 28 39 20 36 16 44 In United increased Table Resolutions all Absent three States cases decreased (Ford/Carter, with 2 the Bush/Clinton, arrival of a Democratic and Bush/Obama) 1 administration. the negative Carter votes and 141 1976 Changes 2 the affirmative (per cent) Total votes in United resolutions and Carter States abstained Votes Total on fewer United by vote times Nations (Table General 2). Recorded Assembly cast Obama by the also 1977 261 271 98 106 90 95 Yes 1992 1993 2008 306 333 321 75 65 76 75 65 Changes are details the was measure United Table 2009 reflected those in in trends votes median for cast all UN by of 306 an the Members, incoming United States the Democratic Western Coincidence European 69 administration Index and with Others in 1977, UN group Members. 1993 76 69 Median case high Median 3States of to and President the with in fact United the President that UNGA Bill States during Clinton reached Obama the Coincidence the last its reversal was lowest year very of Index was point President high modest since with (over George Members 1946. (+9%), 40%). W. That with of Bush President was the United due position in Jimmy large Nations and of Table Israel. Carter 2009 the 3Init Change IC of all UN members 841 7.00% 8994.00% 646 1976 United Change United States CI with all UN 471 27.00% Members 5979.00% 318 27.00% Change United States CI with WEO 661 19.00% Group 7849.00% 554 46.00% Change United States CI with Israel 776 5.00% 815 same 784 40.00% Change States CI with the 841 United 7.00% Kingdom 8994.00% 646 17.00% Let Obama s W. The adopted disappeared Southern items now Since distributed Social Nuclear Bush UNGA that now by (2005-2008). first Africa were examine agenda a from recorded administration once the general has routinely agenda. greater vote. evolved and and Items voted Such detail South over compare that was on the time. Africa s once (such changes the This to accounted case policy the is economic that reflected of second of resolutions appeared apartheid for administration many issues dealing at of subjects and the particular. those UNGA the with of resolutions of UN s President Other during budget) situation 27.00% International Middle subjects (including mid-1990s as East/Palestine follows: of resolutions human the subjects rights) 19,3 29,6 adopted of UNGA without resolutions a vote. adopted by a recorded vote are agenda President have George Decolonization disarmament security and 16,7 15,3 non-nuclear disarmament are in Political 8,7 Resolutions international were Codification United Economic Nations of International Budget 5 During the questions, disarmament, put resolutions Southern security Africa Middle and non-nuclear East/Palestine, 21,9 1,5 0 Law Table Total UN to Resolutions adopted a 4 General summarizes vote. including UNGA s dealt adopted In and by the Assembly with a 17% adopted recorded four 2009-2012 by human the issues with regular resolutions vote: adopted rights, by nuclear regarding vote 31, period, the sessions since 20, 19% UNGA 322 by disarmament. 12 the those subject. 1994. resolutions with during and social Middle by international resolutions 20%, Subject the questions, East They by respectively. issues second a and recorded accounted 2005-2008 security Palestine, nuclear Bush administration and vote. disarmament for and for 23% non-nuclear 85% 82% About 81% 2009-2012 with of 27% of all the social (2005-2008) those and resolutions 280 of those that UN Political Budget resolutions by a vote* 1220 322 9 1186 280 517 Bush 2005-20 International Nuclear Economic Social Codification Disarmament of security International and 60 54 74 4 non-nucleardisarmament Law 33 55 756 * heading. 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