UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – International Organization)

Context: Recently, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) expressed its deep distress over the announcement that Israel will initiate a complete siege of the Gaza Strip following an attack by the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas. United Nations Security Council (UNSC)

• About: It is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN).
• Formation: By the UN Charter in 1945.
• Objective: Primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security.
• Members: 15 (5 permanent + 10 non-permanent members).
• Headquarters: New York, USA.
• UNSC Presidency: Held by each of the 15 members in turn for one month, based on English alphabetical order.
• Eligibility for Presidency: Both permanent and non-permanent members are eligible for the UNSC presidency.
• Presidential Powers: In the UNSC, the Council President has a broad range of procedural powers: They can call and preside over meetings, approve the UN body agenda for the month, issue presidential statements, decide the content & and theme of debates, etc.
• India as a non-permanent member: 8 times. The latest membership was for the year 2021-22.

UNSC REFORMS: MEANING

• The aim for UNSC reforms encompasses Reform in categories of membership (permanent, non-permanent) question of the veto held by the five permanent members' representation Size of an enlarged Council and its working relationship between UNSC & and UNGA, etc.