THE UNITED NATIONS
ORGANIZATION (UNO):
The UNO:
Basic Principles & Objectives
The UN is the successor organziation of the League of Nations: Particularly in
terms of its organs/ bodies and primary goal of providing “collective security”
The UN comprises nearly all the states
which exist in the world today with the
exception of Taiwan & TRNC
Who can become a member of the UNO? Membership Criteria
According to the Article 4 of UN Charter:
“all peace-loving states which accept the OBLIGATIONS contained in the Charter and in the judgement of the organization are willing to carry out these obligations ”.
(OFFICIAL WEBSITE: www.uno.org)
The procedure for a new member?
Security Council should recommend new members to the General Assembly which decides with a 2/3 majority (Article: 18)
The UN is a global NOT a regional IO.
The UN includes only states not non-
governmental institutions as members!!!
AIMS/ OBJECTIVES of the UN:
The aims of the UN are laid down in Article 1 and in the preamble (önsöz):
1.
To maintain international peace and security through effective collective measures and peaceful settlement of disputes. The “use of force” in
settling disputes is outlawed.
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1.
To promote the principle of self- determination of peoples,
2.
To promote international economic and social co-operation to achieve
economic security, and to promote the
respect for human rights
Why kind of an IO is the UN?
UN is a multi-purpose organization.
UN is a global IO in terms of its membership &
aims + activities
UN has six principal organs;
1.
General Assembly
2.
Security Council
3.
Secretariat
4.
Economic & Social Council (ECOSOC)
5.
Trusteeship Council
Three Important Issues to remember about UN
Membership
Principles & Objectives
Structure:
- Decision-making procedure
- Balance of power among its members,
-
Egalitarian or Inegalitarian Organization?
- Organs/ bodies/ commissions/ court etc.
STRUCTURE of the UNO:
Structure of an IO refers to the
question whether IOs differentiate between one member and another
Is the organization is independent from member governments
Is the institution egalitarian or
authoritarian?
Question to answer?
“One state – one vote”
Is it really what we have in the UN decision making? Apparently YES
because all the states have only ONE VOTE not 2 votes.
So; why the UN is often
criticized for being not democratic/
egalitarian in taking decisions?
Answer:
Some states are sometimes more EQUAL than the others!
Permanent seats in the Security Council
in some cases lead the UN not to take
any decision: blocking decision-making
EXAMPLE:
1951 – 52 Korean War:
When Soviet Union’s protested the UN for the misrepresentation of People’s
Republic of China, Security Council was able to take a quick resolution to
involve in Korean War
Example # 2:
1956 Suez War:
VETO powers of Britain and France led the Security Council not to come to a resolution of the dispute
Instead; UN created “peace-keeping”
missions under the SC
ANALYSIS of UN ORGANS:
Structure
General Assembly (GA/UN):
“Equal Votes Regime”
Article 11 is very important.
Logo of the UNO
GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Functions and Powers of the General Assembly
Forum for multilateral negotiation
Established in 1945 under the Charter of the United Nations, the General Assembly occupies a central position as the chief deliberative, policymaking and representative organ of the United Nations.
Comprising all 192 Members of the United Nations, it
provides a unique forum for multilateral discussion of
the full spectrum of international issues covered by
the Charter.
General Assembly
It also plays a significant role in the process of standard-setting and the codification of international law.
The Assembly meets in regular session intensively from September to
December each year, and thereafter as
required.
Functions and powers of the General Assembly
According to the Charter of the United Nations, the General Assembly may:
Consider and make recommendations on the general principles of cooperation for
maintaining international peace and security, including disarmament;
Discuss any question relating to international peace and security and, except where a
dispute or situation is currently being
discussed by the Security Council, make
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Discuss, with the same exception, and make
recommendations on any questions within the scope of the Charter or affecting the powers and functions of any organ of the United Nations;
Initiate studies and make recommendations to promote international political cooperation, the development and codification of international law, the realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms, and international collaboration in the
economic, social, humanitarian, cultural, educational
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Make recommendations for the peaceful settlement of any situation that might impair friendly relations
among nations;
Receive and consider reports from the Security Council and other United Nations organs;
Consider and approve the United Nations budget and establish the financial assessments of Member States;
Elect the non-permanent members of the Security Council and the members of other United Nations councils and organs and, on the recommendation of
Uniting for Peace Resolution
Pursuant to its “Uniting for Peace” resolution of
November 1950 (resolution 377), the Assembly may also take action if the Security Council fails to act,
owing to the negative vote of a permanent member, in a case where there appears to be a threat to the peace, breach of the peace or act of aggression.
The Assembly can consider the matter immediately with a view to making recommendations to Members for
collective measures to maintain or restore international peace and security (see "Special sessions and
Significance of the General Assembly
While the Assembly is empowered to make only non-binding recommendations to States on international issues within its
competence, it has, nonetheless, initiated actions—political, economic, humanitarian, social and legal—which
have affected the lives of millions of
The search for consensus !!!
Each Member State in the Assembly has one vote.
Votes taken on designated important issues, such as recommendations on peace and
security and the election of Security Council
members, require a two-thirds majority of
Member States , but other questions are
SECURITY COUNCIL
Membership in SC/UN
Membership in 2009
The Council is composed of five permanent
members — China, France, Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States — and ten non-permament members (with year of term's end):
Austria (2010) Japan (2010)Uganda (2010)Burkina Faso (2009)Libyan Arab
Jamahiriya (2009)Viet Nam (2009)Costa Rica
(2009)Mexico (2010) Croatia (2009)Turkey
The Council
The Presidency of the Security Council is held in turn by the members of the Security
Council in the English alphabetical order of their names. Each President holds office for one calendar month.
Ten non-permament members, elected by the General Assembly for two-year terms and not eligible for immediate re-election. The
number of non-permanent members was
increased from six to ten by an amendment
Council...
Each Council member has one vote. Decisions on
procedural matters are made by an affirmative vote of at least nine of the 15 members. Decisions on substantive matters require nine votes, including the concurring votes of all five permanent members. This is the rule of "great Power unanimity", often referred to as the "veto" power.
Under the Charter, all Members of the United Nations
agree to accept and carry out the decisions of the Security Council. While other organs of the United Nations make recommendations to Governments, the Council alone has the power to take decisions which Member States are
Functions of the Security Council:
Under the Charter, the functions and powers of the Security Council are:
to maintain international peace and security in accordance with the principles and purposes of the United Nations;
to investigate any dispute or situation which mightlead to international friction;
to recommend methods of adjusting such disputes or the terms of settlement;
to formulate plans for the establishment of a system to regulate armaments;
to determine the existence of a threat to the peace or act of aggression and to recommend what action should be
Functions...
to call on Members to apply economic sanctions and other measures not involving the use of force to
prevent or stop aggression;
to take military action against an aggressor;
to recommend the admission of new Members;
to exercise the trusteeship functions of the United Nations in "strategic areas";
to recommend to the GeneralAssembly the
appointment of the Secretary-General and, together
with the Assembly, to elect the Judges of the
ECOSOC: Economic & Social Council
ECOSOC was established under the United Nations Charter as the principal organ to coordinate
economic, social, and related work of the 14 UN
specialized agencies, functional commissions and five regional commissions.
The Council also receives reports from 11 UN funds and programmes. The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) serves as the central forum for discussing international economic and social issues, and for
formulating policy recommendations addressed to
It is responsible for:
promoting higher standards of living, full
employment, and economic and social progress;
identifying solutions to international economic, social and health problems;
facilitating international cultural and educational cooperation; and
encouraging universal respect for human rights and
Members ...
The Council's 54 member Governments are elected by the General Assembly for
overlapping three-year terms.
