The U.K.’s Brexit vote has sparked a fierce debate over the future of the U.N. and its role in international law.
U.C. Berkeley law professor and World Bank expert Mark Goldacre told The Hill that there is no question that the United Kingdom should be given the right to leave the U, but he also expressed reservations about the U’s continued presence at the body.
“It’s not going away, and it’s not just about Brexit,” Goldacre said.
“There are many other issues we’re discussing.
I’m not saying the UN is the end of the world, but it’s a very important body, and I don’t think we should be at the expense of the other institutions that we work with.”
Goldacre is not alone in his skepticism.
“I don’t really see the UNA as the end, but I do think it’s more of a stepping stone, that we can make it more efficient, and more sustainable,” he said.
Goldacre also pointed out that many of the agencies that the UUN and the World Bank are tasked with administering, like the International Criminal Court, do not even exist today.
And he said it’s up to the countries themselves to decide whether to keep their own U.
Ns, and how to manage them.
“I think the people should decide what their country does,” Goldamp said.