Responsibility To
Rebuild
(R2Rb)
David Suntha- BA (Hons), MA, LLM
(Merit)
Paper Outline


R2Rb = binding responsibility on states to
rebuild/build states.
= multilateral state practice has
normalised the R2Rb within international
relations
Clearest examples: Reconstruction postWWII Europe and Asia
Part I


English School/Liberal Realism
- the international system = beyond a
global ‘state of nature’ “- sustained formal
structure as an anarchical society of
sovereign states governed by international
law and other mechanisms and
communicating among themselves through
the institution of diplomacy.
Part 1 Cont…
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
IR = social activity with its own set of
norms, rules and institutions, whether they
be procedural, prudential, moral, and legal.
ES - School prizes international ‘order’ and
a lack of radical or large-scale change as
the norm of IR.
Part 1 cont…


Post-CW, ES dominates IR through the UN
and humanitarianism interventionism.
ES utilised to advance Liberal Peace
Theory “create a state defined by rule of
law, markets, and democracy”
Part II



“if you break it, you own it” – Colin Powell
paraphrasing Geneva Conventions.
R2Rb = Norm of IR, built up from States
Practice through multilateral institutionsWorld Bank, International Monetary Fund
and United Nations.
Older than R2P- Sykes-Picot agreement of
1917; League of Nations Mandate System,
Post WW II Europe & Asia reconstruction.
Part II cont…
An Agenda for Peace cemented R2Rb as
binding obligation on states= reverted to
‘mandate’ system established in UN
Charter
 Eg- Bosni, Kosovo, Timor Leste,
 State led R2Rb continues as state led
initiatives:
- Russia in Abkhazia, South Ossetia &
Crimea

Part II cont…


Liberal realist concerns= intro unstable
elements into the international community:
-e.g - Kosovan Diaspora and criminal
enterprise: Organ smuggling.

[1] International Monetary Fund. 2013. Op
Cit
Part II cont…
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

UNSMIL: arguably rapidly expanded
binding nature of R2Rb
- reaffirmed Libyan ownership though
emphasized mandate similar to Kosovo
and Timor Leste.
United Nations. 2011. Resolution 2009 (2011). Adopted by the Security Council at its
6620th meeting, on 16 September 2011. Available at: http://daccess-ddsny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N11/502/44/PDF/N1150244.pdf?OpenElement
(Accessed: 17/04/2012)
Conclusion


Legally a tentative argument can be made
for R2Rb
Politically and practically R2Rb remains
controversial and limited due to incurred
costs for states.