"UN Faces Reform Pressure as 81st General Assembly Session Opens"
G4 nations
India, Brazil, Germany, Japan grouping that backs each other's UNSC permanent-seat bids.
Uniting for Consensus
coalition, including Pakistan and Italy, opposing new permanent UNSC seats.
The United Nations was established in 1945 under the UN Charter, with the goal of preventing another world war and building a framework for collective security. It has six principal organs, but the UN General Assembly (UNGA) and the UN Security Council (UNSC) matter most for global politics. The UNGA is a deliberative body of 193 member states, where each country gets one vote regardless of its size or power. Decisions on important questions, such as admitting new members, need a two-thirds majority. The UNGA can also grant observer status to non-member states and to inter-governmental organisations. Observers can maintain permanent missions at UN Headquarters and join debates, but they cannot vote.
The UNSC, by contrast, has only 15 members. Five of these, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia and China, are permanent members with veto power. The other ten are non-permanent members, elected by the UNGA for two-year terms. This structure reflects the power balance of 1945, not today's world. Calls for reform have grown for decades. The G4 nations, India, Brazil, Germany and Japan, support each other's bids for permanent seats. The Uniting for Consensus group, including Pakistan and Italy, opposes expanding permanent membership. The African Union's Ezulwini Consensus demands two permanent seats with veto power for Africa. None of these positions has moved forward because the five permanent members, who alone can approve any Charter amendment, have little incentive to dilute their own privileges. The same East-West rivalry between the Western bloc and the Russia-China axis has stalled the Intergovernmental Negotiations process on Council reform for over a decade.
The selection of the UN Secretary-General (UNSG) follows a distinct process under Article 97 of the UN Charter. The Security Council recommends a candidate, a step where any permanent member can use its veto, and the General Assembly then appoints that candidate for a five-year term, renewable once. The UNSG has limited independent executive power but wields considerable moral authority, appoints senior UN officials, and can use the post to mediate conflicts and set the global agenda. Unlike UNSC seats, there is a loose convention of regional rotation for this post, though it is not legally binding. …
With reference to the United Nations General Assembly, consider the following statements:
1.The UN General Assembly can grant observer status to the non-member States.
2.Inter-governmental organisations can seek observer status in the UN General Assembly.
3.Permanent Observers in the UN General Assembly can maintain missions at the UN headquarters.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
The reform process in the United Nations remains unresolved, because of the delicate imbalance of East and West and entanglement of the USA vs. Russo-Chinese alliance. Examine and critically evaluate the East-West policy confrontations in this regard.
With reference to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), consider the following statements: 1. It consists of 15 members, of which 5 are permanent. 2. Non-permanent members are elected by the UN General Assembly for a two-year term. 3. A permanent member can single-handedly block a substantive resolution through its veto. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Consider the following pairs regarding United Nations Security Council reform: 1. G4 nations : Support each other's bids for permanent UNSC seats 2. Uniting for Consensus : Opposes creation of new permanent seats, favours more non-permanent seats 3. Ezulwini Consensus : Common African Union position demanding permanent seats with veto for Africa 4. P5 : Comprises the USA, UK, France, Russia and India. How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?
Consider the following statements about India's membership of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC): 1. India has served as a non-permanent member of the UNSC eight times till date. 2. India's most recent term as a non-permanent member was 2021-22. 3. Non-permanent members of the UNSC do not possess veto power. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Which Article of the UN Charter provides for the appointment of the Secretary-General, and what is the term of office?
The Presidency of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) rotates annually among five regional groups. Which of the following is NOT one of these regional groups?
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