United Nations Organisation Lecture Notes PDF

# UNITED NATIONS ORGANISATION ## Lecture 01: All About United Nations Organisation - By Babar Hussain *** ## Purpose and Formation: - The United Nations (UN) is an international organization founded in 1945 to maintain international peace, promote economic and social development, and protect hu...

# UNITED NATIONS ORGANISATION ## Lecture 01: All About United Nations Organisation - By Babar Hussain *** ## Purpose and Formation: - The United Nations (UN) is an international organization founded in 1945 to maintain international peace, promote economic and social development, and protect human rights. - It succeeded the League of Nations, which was established after World War I but failed to prevent World War II. *** ## Membership: - Started with 51 original members - Today, there are 193 member states. - India is a founding member. - The newest member is South Sudan, which joined in 2011. ## Headquarters and Languages: - The UN headquarters is located in New York City. - There are six official languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish. ## UN Secretary-General: - António Guterres is a Portuguese politician and diplomat who is serving as the ninth and current secretary-general of the United Nations since 2017. *** ## INDIA AND UNO - Sir Arcot Ramaswamy Mudaliar represented India at the United Nations Conference on International Organization in San Francisco, California on June 26, 1945, where he signed the United Nations Charter on behalf of India. - Other representatives of India at the conference included: - Sir Firoz Khan Noon: Represented British India - Sir V. T. Krishnamachari: Represented the States - India joined the United Nations on October 30, 1945, after ratifying the UN Charter. India was one of the founding members of the United Nations. *** ## Important Historical Points: - The League of Nations was established in 1920 under the Treaty of Versailles but dissolved in 1946. - Woodrow Wilson, the President of the United States, is considered the founder of the League of Nations. He gave "14 Points Plan" for peace in Europe. - The UN was founded following the UN Charter's signing in 1945 by representatives of 50 countries; It came into force on October 24, 1945, now celebrated as UN Day. - These were the nations which had declared war on Germany and Japan and had subscribed to the United Nations Declaration (1942). - The UN Charter was signed on 26 June 1945 by the representatives of 50 countries. - Poland signed the Charter on 15 October 1945, thus becoming one of the original 51 members. - Charter came into force/ The UN officially came into existence on 24 October 1945 (24th Oct. - UN day), after ratification by the five permanent members of the Security Council (UK, US, France, Russia, China) and a majority of the other countries. *** ## Principal Organs of the United Nations ### Principal Organs: 1. **General Assembly:** Comprising all UN member states, it serves as a forum for discussion and policy-making. 2. **UN Security Council:** Responsible for maintaining international peace, it has 15 members (5 permanent with veto power and 10 non-permanent). 3. **International Court of Justice (ICJ):** Settles legal disputes between states, based in The Hague, Netherlands. 4. **Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC):** Focuses on promoting international economic and social cooperation and development. 5. **Trusteeship Council:** Established to oversee trust territories, its functions are now suspended as all trust territories gained independence. 6. **The UN Secretariat:** Responsible for the day-to-day work of the UN, led by the Secretary-General. *** ## UN General Assembly ### General Assembly: - The UN General Assembly (UNGA) is the main policy-making organ of the UN. - UNGA is a forum for multilateral discussion on international issues as per the UN Charter. - The first meeting of the United Nations General Assembly took place on January 10, 1946, at the Methodist (Westminster) Central Hall in London, England. Attended by 51 nations. - All 193 UN member states are represented in the General Assembly with equal voting rights. - UNGA meets annually from September to December, and as needed afterward. - The General Assembly President is elected annually for a one-year term. - Mr. Paul-Henri Spaak, Foreign Minister of Belgium, was elected first President of the General Assembly of the United Nations on January 16, 1946. - Philemon Yang from Cameroon is the President of the 79th session of UNGA, starting on September 10, 2024. - UNGA decisions include appointing the Secretary-General and admitting new member states. - The UNGA elects non-permanent members of the Security Council and approves the UN budget. - Decision-making in UNGA requires a two-thirds majority for critical issues and a simple majority for others. - Yemen occupied the first seat in the General Assembly Hall for the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 79). - Seating in the General Assembly rotates annually; North Macedonia holds the first seat in 2023-2024(UNGA 78). - In 1953, Vijaylakshmi Pandit became the first woman to be elected president of the UN General Assembly. - Additional information: Vijaylakshmi Pandit was the daughter of Motilal Nehru. The eighth session of the United Nations General Assembly elected Madam Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit, of India, as its President. - **Why in News?** - PM Modi addressed the 'Summit of the Future' at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. - The theme of the Summit is 'Multilateral Solutions for a Better Tomorrow'. - **79th UN General Assembly:** - The UNGA 79, held from 10th to 30th September 2024 focuses on accelerating progress toward achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). - During this, global leaders will address interconnected challenges and adopt the Pact for the Future, which includes a Global Digital Compact highlighting gender equality. - The 79th session is being chaired by Cameroonian President Philemon Yong. - Theme – “Leaving no one behind: acting together for the advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for present and future generations”. *** ## UN Security Council ### UN Security Council: - The Security Council's primary responsibility is to maintain international peace and security. - The Security Council has 15 members: 5 permanent and 10 non-permanent members (elected for two-year terms). - 10 non-permanent members: Seats are distributed on a regional basis: - Five for African and Asian States - One for Eastern European States - Two for the Latin American and Caribbean States - Two for Western European and other States - The 5 permanent members are China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. - Each year the General Assembly elects five non-permanent members (out of 10 in total) for a two-year term. - Each Security Council member has one vote, and all UN members must comply with its decisions under the Charter. - The Security Council presidency rotates monthly among members. - India has been a Security Council member 8 times, with the latest term in 2021-2022. - India's previous Security Council memberships were in 1950-1951, 1967-1968, 1972-1973, 1977-1978, 1984-1985, 1991-1992, and 2011-2012. - The Council is composed of 15 Members: - Five permanent members: China, France, Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United States. - Ten non-permanent members elected for two-year terms by the General Assembly (with end of term year): - Algeria (2025) - Ecuador (2024) - Guyana (2025) - Japan (2024) - Malta (2024) - Mozambique (2024) - Republic of Korea (2025) - Sierra Leone (2025) - Slovenia (2025) - Switzerland (2024) - The UN General Assembly elected five non-permanent members to the UN Security Council (UNSC) for the 2025-2026 term: - Somalia, Pakistan, Panama, Greece, and Denmark won elections at the General Assembly. The new members serve as non-permanent UNSC members from Jan. 1, 2025, to Dec. 31, 2026. - **Functions & Powers of Security Council:** 1. To maintain international peace and security 2. To investigate any dispute or situation which might lead to international friction 3. To recommend methods for settlement of disputes 4. To formulate plans to regulate armaments 5. To call on members to apply economic sanctions and other measures to prevent aggression 6. To take military action against an aggressor 7. To recommend the appointment of the Secretary-General to the General Assembly 8. To jointly elect judges of the International Court of Justice with the General Assembly - **Veto Power:** It refers to the power of the permanent member to veto (Reject) any resolution of the Security Council. The unconditional veto possessed by the five governments has been seen as the most undemocratic character of the UN. - Critics also claim that veto power is the main cause for international inaction on war crimes and crimes against humanity. - Supporters of the Veto Power: They regard it as a promoter of international stability, a check against military interventions, and a critical safeguard against U.S. domination. *** ## International Court of Justice (ICJ) ### International Court of Justice (ICJ): - **Role:** Settles disputes and gives advisory opinions. - **Composition:** 15 judges elected for 9-year terms. - **Election Cycle:** One-third elected every three years. - **Nationality Rule:** Only one judge per country. - **Location:** Peace Palace, The Hague, Netherlands. - **Unique Fact:** Only principal UN organ outside New York. - **Official Languages:** English and French. - **Successor to PCIJ:** (established in 1920) - **Presidency Election:** President and Vice-President elected by secret ballot. - **Current President:** Joan E. Donoghue - **Indian Judges at the ICJ:** 1. Judge Dalveer Bhandari: Member of the Court since 27 April 2012 2. Raghunandan Swarup Pathak: 1989-1991 3. Nagendra Singh: 1973-1988 4. Sir Benegal Narsing Rau: 1952-1953 = First Indian Judge at ICJ *** ## Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) ### Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC): - **Authority:** Under the General Assembly's overall authority. - **Purpose:** Central forum for discussing international economic and social issues. - **Focus:** Promotes social progress and better living standards. - **Platform:** UN's platform for sustainable development discussions. - **Sustainable Development:** Works on economic, social, and environmental dimensions. - **NGO Engagement:** Consults with NGOs to link the UN and civil society. - **Coordination Role:** Coordinates work of UN agencies, commissions, and regional bodies. - **Members:** 54 members elected by the General Assembly for 3-year terms. - **Current President:** Robert (Bob) Rae. - **Sir Arcot Ramaswamy Mudaliar of India was the first president of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). *** ## Trusteeship Council ### Trusteeship Council: - **Members:** Five permanent Security Council members (China, France, Russia, UK, US). - **Purpose:** Provided supervision for 11 Trust Territories toward self-governance. - **Definition Trust territory:** Non-self-governing area under UN administrative control. - **Achievement:** Fulfilled mission by 1994 with all Trust Territories achieving independence. - **End of Operations:** Suspended on 1 November 1994 after Palau's independence. - **Resolution Date:** Amended rules on 25 May 1994, ending annual meetings. *** ## UN Secretariat ### UN Secretariat: - **United Nations Secretariat:** Carries out the day-to-day work of the UN. - **Head of Secretariat:** Secretary-General is the Chief Administrative Officer and Head of the Secretariat. - **Staff:** Tens of thousands of UN staff members work at duty stations all over the world. - **Organization Structure:** Organized along departmental lines, with each department/ office having a distinct area action and responsibility. - **Location:** Much of the UN Secretariat is located in New York City, USA. - **Additional Offices:** Three major offices outside of Headquarters and five Regional Economic Commissions. - **Appointment of Secretary-General:** Security Council recommends a candidate to the General Assembly, which then appoints the Secretary-General. - **Term of Secretary General:** Appointed to a five-year term, may serve up to two terms. - **Current Secretary General of UN:** - Antonio Guterres - Took office as 9th Secretary General on 1st January 2017. - His second term of office began on January 1, 2022. - Before becoming Secretary General - served as United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees from June 2005 to December 2015. - Former Prime Minister of Portugal from 1995 to 2002. *** # THANK YOU!