Regional arrangements and the UN collective security system

At the time of the UN&s;s creation, there existed tensions in respect of the relative role which might be played by regional bodies in respect of the assumption of responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. The outcome struck represented a balance whereby they might lead on measures taken for the pacific settlement of disputes but would exercise only a subsidiary role where more robust measures pertaining to the use of military force were concerned, subject to the ultimate authority of the UN Security Council. In the post–Cold War era, greater pressure emerged for regional bodies to take on expanded roles as collective security actors to alleviate the growing burden placed on the UN. This is particularly desirable in regions such as Africa, where a disproportionate number of conflict situations have arisen. Legal, political and practical developments have taken place in respect of a number of regional bodies designed to enhance their collective security functions, but their capacities and agendas vary considerably, and there is no uniform template for the role which regional bodies are able to perform in support of the UN&s;s collective security remit. It is apparent that whereas several can perform a useful role in the pursuit of diplomacy and implementation of sanctions, measures involving the application of coercive military force remain more problematic both in practical terms and from a perspective of legal accountability.