The UN charter gives the security council primary responsibility for maintaining International
peace and security. The council may convene at any time, whenever peace is threatened. Under the decisions.
There are 15 council members. Five of them china, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and
the united states are permanent members. The other 10 are elected by the General Assembly for two year term.
Member states are discussing making changes in council membership and working to reflect today’s political
and economic realities. Decisions of the council require nine yes votes. Except in vote, by a permanent member.
When the council considers a threat to international peace, it first explores ways to settle the dispute peacefully.
It may suggest principles for a settlement or undertake mediation. In the event of fighting, the council tries to
secure a ceasefire. It may send a peacekeeping mission to help the parties maintain the truce and to keep opposing
forces apart. The council can take measures to enforce its decisions. It can impose economic sanctions or order an
arms embargo. On rate accessions, the council has authorized member states to use “all necessary means” including
collective military action, to see that its decisions are carried out. The council also makes recommendations to the General Assembly on the appointment of a new secretary general and on the admission of new members to the UN.
The Economic and social council, under the overall authority of the General Assembly, coordinates the economic
and social work of the United Nations and the UN family of organizations. As the central forum for discussing
international economic and social issues and for formulating policy recommendations, the council plays a key
role in fostering international cooperation for development. It also consults with non governmental organization
(NGOs), thereby maintaining a vital link between the United Nations and civil society. The council has 54 members,
elected by the General Assembly for three year term. It meets throughout the year and holds major session in July,
during which a special meeting of ministers discusses major economic, social and humanitarian issues. The council’s
subsidiary bodies meet regularly and report back to it. The commission on Human Rights, for example, monitors the
observance of human rights throughout the world. Other bodies focus on such issues as social development protection.
Five regional commissions promote economic development and cooperation in their respective regions.
The Trusteeship council was established to provide international supervision for 11 Trust Territories
administered by seven member states and ensure that adequate steps were taken to prepare the territories
for self government or independence. By 1994, all Trust Territories had attained self government or independence,
as separate states or by joining neighboring independent countries. The last to do so was the Trust Territory of
the pacific Islands, Palau, which was administered by the United states and became the 185th member state. Its work
completed., the Trusteeship council now consists of five permanent members of the Security council.
It has amended its rules of procedure to allow it to meet as and when the occasion may require.
The International court of Justice, also known as the world court, is the main judicial organ of the UN.
consisting of 15 judges elected jointly by the General Assembly and the security council, the court decides disputes
between countries. Participation by states in a proceeding is voluntary, but if a state agrees to participate, it is
obligated to comply with the court’s decision. The
court also provides advisory opinions to the General Assembly and the Security Council upon request.
The secretariat carries out the substantive and administrative woke of the United Nations as directed by
the General Assembly, the security council and the other organs. At its head is the secretary general, who provides
overall administrative guidance. The secretariat consists of departments and offices with a total staff of some
7500 under the regular budget, and a nearly equal number under special funding, They are drawn from some 170
countries. Duty stations include
UN Headquarters in New York, as well as UN offices in Geneva, Vienna, Nairobi and other locations.
The International Monetary Fund, the world Bank and 12 other independent organizations known as “specialized
agencies” are liked to the UN through cooperative agreements. These agencies, among them the world Health Organization
and the International Civil Aviation Organization, are autonomous bodies created by intergovernmental agreement. They
have wide ranging international responsibilities in the economic, social, cultural, educational, health and related fields.
Some of them, like the International Labor Organization and the universal postal union, are older than the UN itself.
In addition, a number of UN offices, programrs and funds such as the office of the Un High commissioner for Refugees
(UNHCR), the UN Development program me (UNDP) and the UN children’s Fund (UNICEF) work to improve the economic and social
condition of people around the world. They report to the General Assembly or the Economic and social council. All these
organizations have their own governing bodies, budgets and secretariats. Together with the United Nations,
they are known as the UN family, or practical help in virtually all economic and social areas.
The charter of the UN mentions that we the peoples of the United Nations determined
- To save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind.
- To reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and nations, large and small.
- To establish condition under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law can be maintained.
- To promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom. And for these ends.
- To practice tolerance and live together in peace with one another as good neigh ours.
- To unite our strength to maintain international peace and security:
- To ensure, by the acceptance of principles and the institution of methods, that armed force shall not be used, save in the common interest.
- To employ international machinery for the promotion of the economic and social advancement of all peoples.
The recognition of a new state or government is an act that only states and governments may grant or withhold.
It generally implies readiness to assume diplomatic relations. The united Nations is neither a state nor a government,
and therefore, does not possess any authority to recognize either a state or a government. As an organization of
independent states, it may admit a new state to its membership or accept the credentials of the representative of
a new government. Membership in the organization, in accordance with paragraph 1 of Article 34 of the charter of
the United Nations, “is open to all peace loving states which accept the obligations contained in the United Nations
charter and in the judgments” states are admitted to membership in the United Nations by decision od the General
Assembly upon the t recommendation of the security council. The procedure is briefly as follows:
- The state submits an application to the secretary-general and a formal declaration stating that it accepts the obligations under the charter.
- The application is considered first by the security council. Any recommendation for admission must receive the affirmative
votes of nine of the 15 members of the council, provided that none of its five permanent members china, France, the Russian
Federation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United states of America have noted against the
application.
- If the council recommends admission, the recommendation is presented to the General Assembly for consideration.
A tow third majority vote is necessary in the Assembly for admission of a new state, and membership become effective
the date of the resolution for admission is adopted
At each session, the General Assembly considers the credentials of all representatives of member states participating
in that session. During such consideration, which routinely takes place first in the nine member credentials committee
but can also arise at other times, the issue can be raise whether a particular representative gas been accredited by
the government actually in power. If controverted, this issue is ultimately decided by a majority vote in the Assembly.
It should be noted that the normal change of governments as through a democratic election
does not raise any issue concerning the credentials of the representative of the state concerned.
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