UNITED NATIONS (UN)
WHAT IS THE UN?
The UN is an international organization that aims to promote peace and understanding between
nations.
The UN was founded in 1945 after Word War II to replace the League of Nations, to stop wars
between countries, and to provide a platform for dialogue. It contains multiple subsidiary
organizations to carry out its missions.
Stalin, Roosevelt, Churchill
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT UNITED NATIONS
UN HEADQUARTERS:
The permanent headquarters of the UN since 1952, are New York. The first meeting of the General
Assembly was held here in October 1952.
UN FLAG:
The white UN emblem is superimposed on light blue background. The emblem consists of the
global map projected from the North Pole and embraced in twin olive branches (symbol of peace).
The UN flag is not to be subordinated to any other flag of the world.
UN OFFICIAL LANGUAGES:
There are six official working languages recognized by the United Nations. They are Chinese,
English, French, Russian, Spanish and Arabic.
UN FINANCES:
Contributions of the member states constitute the main source of funds for the regular budget. A
state’s share is primarily determined by its total national income in relation to that of the member
states.
MEMBERSHIP:
Membership of the United Nations is open to all peace loving nations which accept the obligations
of its charter and in the judgement of the organization, are able and willing to carry out these
obligations. Members may be suspended by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the
Security Council.
PURPOSES OF UN:
1) Maintain international peace and security.
2) Developed friendly relations among nations.
3) Cooperate in solving international, economic, social, cultural and humanitarian problems.
4) And to be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations.
The Organization is divided into administrative bodies, including the;
1) General Assembly
2) Security Council
3) Economic and Social Council
4) International Court of Justice
5) Trusteeship Council
6) Secretariat
GENERAL ASSEMBLY
The General Assembly has representatives in it from all of the member countries.
They discuss issues and draft resolutions (documents suggesting actions for the UN and
participating countries to take).
The General Assembly also includes various councils, panels, and working groups that focus on
current world issues.
SECURITY COUNCIL
The Security Council votes on resolutions created by the General Assembly and decides whether or not to
put an action/resolution into place.
Each member of the Security Council gets one vote.
Five permanent members: US, Britain, France, Russia, and China. If any of these members vote
against a measure it is vetoed.
Ten non-permanent members: Azerbaijan, Argentina, Australia, Guatemala, Republic of Korea,
Morocco, Togo, Pakistan, Rwanda and Luxembourg.
Non-permanent members are selected from the General Assembly and serve a 2 years term on the
Security Council.
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL (ECOSOC)
This group focuses on issues that impact the world and various countries economically and socially
(this can be anything from drug trafficking, to rain forest destruction).
There are many specialized committees within this council.
Each member of this council has one vote, a simple majority is needed to pass a resolution.
INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE
The court is located in the Netherlands and has 15 justices. It’s purpose is to settle disputes
between nations. It also advises UN committees regarding international law.
The court can only reside over states that are willing to participate in the legal proceedings.
TRUSTEESHIP CONSULE
One of the principal organs of United Nations, was established to help ensure that trust territories
were administered in the best interests of their inhabitants and of international peace and security.
SECRETARIAT
The UN Secretariat is headed by the Secretary-General, assisted by a staff of international civil
servants worldwide. It provides studies, information, and facilities needed by United Nations bodies
for their meetings. It also carries out tasks as directed by the Security Council, the General
Assembly, the Economic and Social Council, and other UN bodies.
The current Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon.
Various Agencies of UN:
World Health Organization (WHO)
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
International Labour Organization (ILO)
World Bank Group (WB)
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
World Trade Organization (WTO)
World Health Organization (WHO)
A specialized agency of the United Nations (UN), with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. WHO
was established in 1948. The services of the agency may be either advisory or technical. Advisory
services include aid in training medical personnel and in giving knowledge of various diseases.
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
Agency of UN devoted to the welfare of children. The organization was established in 1946 to help
children in post-World War 2 European and China. UNICEF currently focuses on establishing
programs that give long-term benefits to children everywhere.
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Its purpose is to contribute to peace and security by promoting international collaboration through
education, science, and culture in order to further universal respect for justice, the rule of law, and
human rights along with fundamental freedom proclaimed in the UN Charter.
International Labour Organization (ILO)
Improve working conditions and employment agencies.
World Bank Group (WB)
It is the largest and most famous development bank in the world and is an observer at the United
Nations Development Group. The bank’s mission is to reduce poverty.
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
The IMF works to foster global growth and economic stability. It provides policy advice and
financing to members in economic difficulties and also works with developing nations to help them
achieve macroeconomic stability and reduce poverty.
World Trade Organization (WTO)
The world Trade Organization (WTO) is the only global international organization dealing with the
rules of trade between nations.
ROLE OF UN
ASSURANCE PEACE – After devastating world wars, the assurance of peace and international security form
the central tasks of the world organization, whereby the endeavour is to learn lessons from the failed
attempt to set up a collective security system under the League of Nations in the period between the wars.
PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS - The genocide and the crime against humanity of the Hitler regime in
particular, form the background for the second major field of tasks for the United Nations: the protection
of the human rights and the continued development of public international law.
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT- Makes up the third major field of tasks for the United Nations.
Peace, in the sense of the negative peace, is not just understood as an absence of war, but, in the sense of
positive peace, also encompasses questions of worldwide development and justice.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION - In the face of global problems such as the greenhouse effect and the
ozone hole, environmental protection has been added to this as an additional field of tasks in recent times.
It guarantees six fundamental rights:
1) Right to equality
2) Right to freedom
3) Right against exploitation
4) Right to freedom of religion
5) Cultural and educational rights
6) Right to constitutional remedies
UN PERFORMANCE
During the Cold War
Low Point 1970s- 1980s
End of the Cold War
COLD WAR PERIOD
Any cooperation was difficult due to East-West conflicts
Activities limited to areas where major powers not affected
1950 beginning of Peace Keeping Mission
Issues on North-South gained momentum
PERIOD of 1970s-1980s
Securing Peace: UN failed in a series of peace keeping missions
A period of deep crisis, UN failed to prevent conflicts of find solutions to conflicts in Nicaragua,
West Sahara, Cambodia, Afghanistan, and Iran-Iraq war
THE END of COLD WAR
UN was back at center stage again
End of ideological war made cooperation and conflict resolution easier
Iraq/Kuwait conflict was through UN
What did the United Nations do when Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990?
On August 2, the day of the invasion, the Security Council passes the following resolution calling for
Iraq to withdraw unconditionally from Kuwait.
Resolution 660 (1990)- 2 August 1990
The Security Council,
Alarmed by the invasion of Kuwait on 2 August 1990 by the military forces of Iraq
Determining that there exists a breach of international peace and security as regards the Iraq invasion of
Kuwait
Acting under Articles 39 and 40 of the Charter of the United Nations,
1. Condemns the Iraq invasion of Kuwait.
2. Demands that Iraq withdraw immediately and unconditionally all its forces to the positions in
which they were located on 1 August 1990.
3. Calls upon Iraq and Kuwait to begin immediately intensive negotiations for the resolution of their
differences and supports all efforts in this regard, and especially those of the League of Arab states.
4. Decides to meet again as necessary to consider further steps to ensure compliance with the
present resolution.
UN PEACEKEEPERS OPERATIONS
At present, there are 90,000 UN peacekeepers serving all over the world.
The first ever UN peacekeeping mission established in the Middle East in 1948 is still continuing
60 YEARS OF UN PEACEKEEPING
Today, peace and security are not longer viewed only in terms of absence of military conflicts but
the common interests of human-kind. Over the years the General Assembly has helped to promote
peaceful relations among nations by adopting several resolutions and declarations on peace, the
peaceful settlement of disputes and international cooperation in strengthening peace. UN played
effective peace making role in Afghanistan, Somalia, crisis in former Yugoslav Republics, Kosovo,
Middle East (Arabs, Israel conflict), Angola, Congo, Rwanda, and in Gulf crisis.
DEVELOPMENT ON INTERNATIONAL LAW
The International Law Commission: established by the General Assembly in 1947, is the primary
institution responsible for these activities.
Promoting the codification of international law.
Solving problems within both public and private international law.
