The United Nations in a new millennium : the role of the UN in the US and norwegian responses to the millennium development goals initiative

The thesis analyzes to what extent the response of the United States and Norway to the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) initiative can be ascribed to the role of the UN itself. Thus, this thesis enters into the overall debate addressing international organizations ability to affect the national policies of states. The MDGs was a UN initiative that formed part of the Millennium Declaration signed by 189 UN member countries at the Millennium Summit in 2000. The eight MDGs are meant to hold both the governments of poor countries and the wider international community accountable, as the first seven goals focus directly on what should be achieved in poor countries, while the eight goal describes the responsibilities of developed countries and the international system. It is this last goal that forms the basis for the study. The thesis asks: 1) Under what conditions may the UN influence donor policies regarding the Millennium Development Goal initiative? 2) To what extent can the UN be ascribed a role in the US and Norwegian response to the MDGs initiative? Variables expected to have an effect on the countries responses are the UN as the international organization initiating the MDGs (independent variable) and three additional intervening factors, namely the countries approaches to the UN, their concern for development issues including views on ODA as the best means to eradicate poverty, and finally the role of civil society. The theory of the three Cs (governmental concern, enhanced contractual environment and increased national capacity) combined with the overall approaches of rationalism and constructivism form the analytical base of the study. Research question one builds directly on the factors laid out in the three Cs, while the second question will be based on the conclusions of the first, when combined with rationalist and constructivist arguments. The combination of these theoretical approaches also allows for focusing on mechanisms of dual utility functions where countries seek to balance self-interest with the so-called common good. This thesis argues that the responses of both the US and Norway to the MDGs initiative is closely related to their relations with the UN. The fact that the two countries also have a different comprehension of ODA as a mean to combat global poverty will further differentiate their responses to the MDGs. The thesis on the other hand suggests that the UN, with the formulation of the MDGs, has increased its constituting powers, hence strengthened its authority in the development field. There is, however, little doubt that the current problems the UN is facing in terms of lack of coordination, overlap, corruption and a slow UN reform process, are reducing this constituting effect. Hence, the actual influence of the UN on national policy with regard to the MDGs will necessarily be a balance between these two factors when adapted to relevant variables in the actual country