Berlin 1968/2015

The Foundations of the UN

Institutions of the United Nations Security Council General Assembly Secretariat/Secretary General ECOSOC ICJ Trusteeship Council

The UN Security Council

The UN Security Council UN Charter Article 24 gives primary responsibility to the Security Council for the maintenance of peace & security. Chapter VII specifies the SC authority to identify aggressors and commit UN members to take enforcement actions either military or economic Five permanent members (US, UK, Russia, China & France)

The UN Security Council

The UN Security Council Ten non-permanent members, originally 6, expanded to 10 in 1965, who serve for a staggered two-year term. No country may serve successive terms. Nine affirmative votes without a veto from the P-5 are required to pass a SC resolution. Any state can bring matters to the SC; as can the Secretary General Presidency rotates among the 15 members

The UN Security Council SC immobilized during most of Cold War Only 4 meetings held in 1959 USSR used its veto power over 100 times in the first 20 years of UN operations The US did not veto a resolution until 1970, but has vetoed 78 resolutions since then China abstained 27 times between 1990 and 1996. Russia began to use a similar tactic since 1995

The UN Security Council 1990 Gulf War marked high point in SC functioning & post-Cold War optimism Since 1987, SC action has risen dramatically, with the change in Soviet foreign policy 1993 Somalia debacle marked a new change/debate over what the UN can or cannot do 1999 divide in SC over bombing of Serbia to influence action in Kosovo 2002 unanimous vote on RES 1441 to compel Iraq to destroy weapons of mass destruction

The UN Security Council SC now works much more on a consensus basis rather than formal voting Reform: Increase membership/new permanent members Veto power/eliminate or reduce scope to Ch VII Geographic representation Increase transparency Integrate non-state actors

The UN General Assembly

The UN General Assembly Like the Assembly for the League of Nations, the General Assembly was to the area for general debate where all states were equally represented. Key formal powers: Budget Approval Admitting new members Electing non-permanent members to the Security Council

The UN General Assembly Closest thing to the “international community” Important stage for small states Dealt with security issues during the deadlock on the Security Council in Suez & Hungary 1956, Lebanon 1958 and The Congo in 1960 ICJ has ruled that this was a proper use of General Assembly power in 1962

The UN General Assembly More important informal powers: Agenda setting Speaking for the “international community” as the legislature for the world. Development of international law by articulating new principles; ie The “Common Heritage” Principle incorporated into the Treaty on Outer Space in 1967 & 1982 Law of the Sea Treaty

The UN General Assembly Shared responsibilities with Security Council: Revisions of the UN Charter with 2/3 majority (only 2 revisions, additional membership on the Security Council in 1965 and on the ECOSOC in 1973) Election of the Secretary General

The UN General Assembly General Assembly meets for approximately three months each Fall Twenty special sessions have been called Presided over by elected president with limited powers, generally from a small state Many mission represented by ambassador to the US, where Security Council members must be available to meet on a moment’s notice (US mission to the UN is 150 people)

Decisionmaking in the UN General Assembly Regional groups have formed coalitions: Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Latin America, Africa, Asia & Caribbean to elect member to ECOSOC and the Security Council Stable coalitions have maintained majorities over time: East-West (Cold War) until 1970 then North-South (Development)

Decisionmaking in the UN General Assembly UNCTAD in 1964 created the G-77 and by 1971 they dominated the General Assembly agenda By the early 1980s, the cohesion in the G-77 had diminished with the NICs separating on many issues

The UN General Assembly The Agenda: 1945-1955 Decolonization 1955-1965 The Cold War, the Non-Aligned Movement 1965-1980 Economic Development 1980-Present Economic Development, self determination & human security in an environment of reduced General Assembly influence

The UN General Assembly With the Cold War’s end, the General Assembly has been marginalized. The power has shifted back to the Security Council In 2002, the General Assembly passed 301 resolutions, most of which were largely ignored

ECOSOC Envisioned by the UN Charter (Ch IX & X) to coordinate the activities of the multitude of IGOs subservient or co-equal to the UN: ILO, IMF, World Bank, WHO, ITU etc. Now 54 states serve on the council for three year terms. Four of the five P-5 (not China) are currently members. Majority voting prevails except for the Bretton Woods agencies (IMF WB)

The UN Secretary General Supervises the 7500 bureaucrats based in NYC, Geneva, Vienna & Nairobi. The SG is the chief administrator, global diplomat & spokesman. Holds office for five years with chance for a renewable term. Elected by a 2/3 vote of the General Assembly after recommendation from the Security Council

Trygve Lie: Norway 1946-53

Dag Hammarskjold: Sweden 1953-61

U Thant: Thailand 1961-71

Kurt Waldheim: Austria 1972-1981

Javier Perez de Cuellar: Peru 1982-91

Boutros Boutros Ghali: Egypt 1992-96

Kofi Annan: Ghana 1997-2005

Ban Ki Moon: S. Korea 2006-2016

The New Guy: Former Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Guterres