World order is a term used to describe the balance of power among the nations of the world.
It is linked with the political, economic and social framework in the world at a particular time and the effect that this situation has on the relationship between countries. There is an increasing need for world order in the global community due to growing conflict both within and between nations and regions. The increased trade between countries has stimulated the growth of many world order issues such as the access to resources, the inequality in a nation’s distribution of income, crimes against humanity and the growing awareness of human rights globally have also led to an increased need for world order. The importance of world order in promoting peace and harmony can be seen in the dramatic growth and development of international law over the past 60 years. The international responses currently in place include are mainly enforced by the United Nations (UN) and are aimed at the maintenance of world order in the international community.

There is an increasing need for World Order in contemporary society than ever before as a high level of interdependence between countries has resulted from the push for globalisation and free trade. This interaction between countries has instigated greater conflict in the world in the form of terrorism, civil unrest and conflict for access to the world’s shrinking resources. Access to resources has been a major source of conflict due to the world’s increasing consumption. An example of such as conflict is the chaos occurring in the Persian Gulf from 1980 over the access to oil reserves. Iraq has the world’s third largest oil reserves after Saudi Arabia and Iran. Saddam Hussein in 1991 invaded Kuwait after the
Iraq‐Iran war which was based on the access to oil, he gained control of the oil wells and when his forces were retreated they set the oil wells alight or drained them into the Persian
Gulf. Here access to oil, was not only used to harm Kuwait’s economy but also to disrupt world order. A similar disruption in world peace occurred in 2003 when America invaded Iraq in accordance of the ‘Bush Doctrine’. Nelson Mandela claimed that George Bush’s order to invade was aimed to ‘please (America’s) arms and oil industries’ reinforcing the importance of access to resources in creating conflict. The UN Security Council was extremely ineffective in stopping the American invasion mainly due to its lack of responsiveness and inability to enforce international law effectively. Similarly, the International Criminal Court received 240 separate communications regarding the legality of America’s Iraq invasion, but despite this the Court was unable to enforce decisions as no provision had yet been adopted which defines the crime and sets out the condition under which the court may exercise jurisdiction with respect to out. In other words, the court could not take any action until Iraq signs up with the court to bring cases related to alleged war crimes. As a result of the ineffectiveness of international responses up to August 2009 more than 4600 troops were killed.

Another significant world order issue was the “Conflict Diamonds” concern. Conflict diamonds are diamonds that originate from areas controlled by forces and are used to fund military action in opposition to the governments. From 1989 to 2001 Sierra Leone has been engaged in a civil war between the government and the Revolutionary United Front (RUF), fuelled by the illicit diamond trade. For almost ten years the international community has applied minimal interference in this rising issue which display’s their lack of responsiveness in resolving major world order issues. Finally, in July 1999 the United Nations and the
Economic Community of West African states negotiated between the Government of Sierra
Leone and the RUF the signing of the Lone Peace agreement under which the parties agreed to the disarmament of all combatants and the formation of national unity. In 1998, Global
Witness a non‐governmental organisation launched a campaign to expose the role of diamonds in funding conflict, as part of a broader research into the link between natural resources and conflict. In response to growing international pressure from NGOs like Global
Witness, the United Nations General Assembly and the United Nations Security Council in
2003 launched the Kimberley Process Certification scheme. The Kimberley process was an effective response to the conflict diamonds as it requires governments to ensure shipments of rough diamonds are conflict free, discouraging the illegal trade of conflict diamonds. This notion of certified diamonds has improved the enforceability of laws revolving around conflict diamonds. However the lack of resources of Sierra Leone has limited the effectiveness of the responses such as the lack of X‐ray machines and advanced technology at the airport which makes baggage search for diamonds a lengthy and inaccurate process.
Overall, even though their has been a slow response to the Conflict Diamonds issue but the response initiated have been effective in achieving justice for all those who have suffered from the civil war.
Overall, the rise in conflict around the world has developed an increased need for world order to maintain peace and international security. The responsiveness of the various issues placed to maintain world order have varied depending on the situation, as factors such as resource efficiency and slow responsiveness have limited the effectiveness of international dispute resolution. Therefore international law needs constant reforming in response to changing attitudes of societyAnother significant world order issue was the “Conflict Diamonds” concern. Conflict diamonds are diamonds that originate from areas controlled by forces and are used to fund military action in opposition to the governments. From 1989 to 2001 Sierra Leone has been engaged in a civil war between the government and the Revolutionary United Front (RUF), fuelled by the illicit diamond trade. For almost ten years the international community has applied minimal interference in this rising issue which display’s their lack of responsiveness in resolving major world order issues. Finally, in July 1999 the United Nations and the
Economic Community of West African states negotiated between the Government of Sierra
Leone and the RUF the signing of the Lone Peace agreement under which the parties agreed to the disarmament of all combatants and the formation of national unity. In 1998, Global
Witness a non‐governmental organisation launched a campaign to expose the role of diamonds in funding conflict, as part of a broader research into the link between natural resources and conflict. In response to growing international pressure from NGOs like Global
Witness, the United Nations General Assembly and the United Nations Security Council in
2003 launched the Kimberley Process Certification scheme. The Kimberley process was an effective response to the conflict diamonds as it requires governments to ensure shipments of rough diamonds are conflict free, discouraging the illegal trade of conflict diamonds. This notion of certified diamonds has improved the enforceability of laws revolving around conflict diamonds. However the lack of resources of Sierra Leone has limited the effectiveness of the responses such as the lack of X‐ray machines and advanced technology at the airport which makes baggage search for diamonds a lengthy and inaccurate process.
Overall, even though their has been a slow response to the Conflict Diamonds issue but the response initiated have been effective in achieving justice for all those who have suffered from the civil war.
Overall, the rise in conflict around the world has developed an increased need for world order to maintain peace and international security. The responsiveness of the various issues placed to maintain world order have varied depending on the situation, as factors such as resource efficiency and slow responsiveness have limited the effectiveness of international dispute resolution. Therefore international law needs constant reforming in response to changing attitudes of society