What is the role of United Nations Security Council
No:1. The Security Council has primary responsibility
for the maintenance of international peace and security. It is the executive
organ of the UN.
No:2. It has 15 members–five permanent and 10
non-permanent members.
No:3. The non-permanent members are elected by the UN
General Assembly for a period of two years.
No:4. Its five permanent members or P-5 are: US,
Russia, China, UK, and France.
No:5. The permanent members of the Security Council
have been given the veto power.
No:6. It means any permanent member may stop the
Council from taking any decision by casting its vote against the pending
proposal on any substantive issue.
No:7. To decide whether a particular issue is a
substantive issue or not is also a substantive matter.
No:8. Thus, the permanent members have two occasions
to use their veto power one at the time of deciding whether it is a substantive
issue or not and second at the time of deliberation on a particular matter
about the course of action.
No:9. This is known as ‘Double Veto’. In
non-substantive matters, the decisions of the Security Council are taken with
the support of 9 members.
Functions and Role of the Security Council
The Security Council may take the following actions to
maintain international peace and security or the threat to the same :
No:1. Holding consultation and persuading nations to
act in favor of peace.
No:2. Providing mediation and arbitration to solve
disputes threatening international peace.
No:3. Imposing financial and diplomatic sanctions
against the nation for ensuring international peace. Iran and North Korea are
the recent cases where the UNSC has imposed economic sanctions.
No:4. As a final resort, the Security Council is
authorized to take military action against the nations which are found guilty
of a violation of peace. The UN does not have a regular military force. The
forces of the UN are contributed by the member states. The Korean War 1950-53
and Gulf war 1991 are successful examples of UN military action. NATO and other
forces have been used in Afghanistan and Libya under the mandate of the UN.
No:5. Military action is known as peace enforcement.
Besides, the Security Council also undertakes peace-keeping activities in
different parts of the world. The difference is that in peacekeeping
operations, the security forces of the UN are authorized to use arms only in self-defense.
No:6. Besides, the UNSC also has some other functions
with respect to elections of members to UN bodies, passing of the budget,
amendment of Charter etc.
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