Context:
Recently, Pakistan, Somalia, Denmark, Greece, and Panama have been chosen as non-permanent members of the UN Security Council (UNSC), serving a 2-year term from 1st January 2025 to 31st December 2026.
Relevance:
GS II: International Relations
Dimensions of the Article:
- How are new members elected to the UNSC?
- United Nations Security Council
- Membership
- Functions and Powers of UNSC
How are new members elected to the UNSC?
- The selection process for non-permanent seats on the UNSC involves regional groups putting forward candidates. There are four regional groups.
- The newly elected members are Somalia representing the African Group, Pakistan representing the Asia-Pacific Group, Panama representing the Latin America and Caribbean Group, and Denmark and Greece representing the Western European and Others Group.
- Typically, each regional group agrees on candidates to present to the General Assembly for a two-year term.
- This process ensures regional representation within the Security Council, reflecting global geopolitical diversity and interests.
- The new members will replace outgoing countries such as Mozambique, Japan, Ecuador, Malta, and Switzerland.
- The UN Security Council plays a crucial role in maintaining international peace and security.
- However, its effectiveness can be hindered by the veto power of its permanent members.
United Nations Security Council
- The Security Council is one of the six main organs of the United Nations.
- The Permanent Residence of UNSC in the UN Headquarters New York City, USA.
- Its primary responsibility is the maintenance of international peace and security.
- While other organs of the United Nations make recommendations to member states, only the Security Council has the power to make decisions that member states are then obligated to implement under the Charter- Hence, it is the only body of the UN with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states.
- Resolutions of the Security Council are typically enforced by UN peacekeepers, military forces voluntarily provided by member states and funded independently of the main UN budget.
Membership
- It has 15 Members (5 as Permanent Members and 10 as Non- Permanent Members), and each Member has one vote.
- The Five permanent members are: China, France, Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Each of the Permanent Members has Veto Power over every decision of UNSC.
- The Ten non-permanent members are Elected for two-year terms by the General Assembly.
- Each year, the General Assembly elects five non-permanent members (out of ten in total) for a two-year term. The ten non-permanent seats are distributed on a regional basis.
- As per the rules of procedure, a retiring member is not eligible for immediate re-election and the election is held by secret ballot and there are no nominations.
- The presidency of the Council rotates monthly, going alphabetically among member states.
Functions and Powers of UNSC
Under the United Nations Charter, the functions and powers of the Security Council are:
- to maintain international peace and security in accordance with the principles and purposes of the United Nations;
- to investigate any dispute or situation which might lead to international friction;
- to recommend methods of adjusting such disputes or the terms of settlement;
- to formulate plans for the establishment of a system to regulate armaments;
- to determine the existence of a threat to the peace or act of aggression and to recommend what action should be taken;
- to call on Members to apply economic sanctions and other measures not involving the use of force to prevent or stop aggression;
- to take military action against an aggressor;
- to recommend the admission of new Members;
- to exercise the trusteeship functions of the United Nations in “strategic areas”;
- to recommend to the General Assembly the appointment of the Secretary-General and, together with the Assembly, to elect the Judges of the International Court of Justice.
-Source: The Hindu
