Editorial
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Date
2021
Authors
O'Driscoll, Mervyn
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Royal Irish Academy
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Abstract
It is perhaps not a surprise that the cardinal theme of this issue is the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) and its repercussions since its global spread in 2020. Formidable forces for continuity persist, however, and should not be underestimated. In this respect a roll call of some international anniversaries is a potent reminder. 2020 was the 75th anniversary of the United Nations and the launch of the Nuremberg Tribunal. These will be two significant leitmotifs throughout this volume. Both were milestones in international affairs. The UN is Ireland’s primary reference point in international matters, and in 2020 the country secured a non-permanent seat on the Security Council. 2020 also marked the 60th anniversary of Ireland’s decision to contribute to the UN mission to the Congo, which established its unparalleled commitment to UN peacekeeping. 2020 was the 50th anniversary of the operationalisation of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the field remains a key agenda item of the UN. Frank Aiken, former minister for external affairs, is rightly regarded globally as the progenitor of the NPT. He was responsible for spying the possibility for, and need for perseverance with, consensus building on matters of planetary importance even at the zenith of the antipathies during the Cold War. The NPT, like the UN, remains a force for stability in international affairs, but it requires constant nurturing if unresolved and developing problems are to be managed successfully.
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Keywords
Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) , 2020
Citation
O’Driscoll, M. (2021) 'Editorial', Irish Studies in International Affairs, 32(1), pp. 1-7. https://doi.org/10.3318/ISIA.2021.32.20
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© 2021, Royal Irish Academy.