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

Context: Prime Minister of India recently urged world leaders assembled at the G20 leaders’ summit to make global structures, including the UN Security Council (UNSC), reflective of current realities.

United Nations Security Council (UNSC)

• About: It is one of the six principal organsof 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).
• Headquarter: New York, USA.
• UNSC Presidency: Held by each of the 15 members in turn for one month, based on English alphabetical order.

o Eligibility for presidency: Both permanent and non-permanent members are eligible for the UNSC presidency.

o 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 & theme of debates, etc.

o 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)èQuestion of the veto held by the five permanent membersèRegional representationèSize of an enlarged Council and its working methodsèRelationship between UNSC & UNGA etc.