1. Berlin 1968/2015

2. The Foundations of the UN

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

4. The UN Security Council

5. 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)

6. 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

7. The UN Security Council

8. 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 Russia began to use a similar tactic since 1995

9. 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/Russian 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

10. 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

11. The UN General Assembly

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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)

17. 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)

18. 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

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

20. 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

21. 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)

22. 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

23. Trygve Lie: Norway

24. Dag Hammarskjold: Sweden 1953-61

25. U Thant: Thailand

26. Kurt Waldheim: Austria 1972-1981

27. Javier Perez de Cuellar: Peru 1982-91

28. Boutros Boutros Ghali: Egypt 1992-96

29. Kofi Annan: Ghana

30. Ban Ki Moon: S. Korea

31. The New Guy: Former Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Guterres