# United Nations 1

What are the 4 core obligations of the UN

1. must give up the use of force

2. must carry out Security Councils decisions

3. Must consider UN GA resolutions

4. cannot sign a treaty that contradict the UN charter

Subsidiary organs:

• 6 main committees

• Commissions (e.g. Peace building commission)

• Councils (e.g. Human Rights Council)

• Joint Inspection Unit 

• United Nations Dispute Tribunal

What is the General Assembly

the plenary organ (decision making) of the UN —> all member states are represented and have the same voting power

Despite the one-state one-vote policy, when is UN policy making not equal?

1. agenda-setting stage = active participation is most important, but smaller embassies cant always attend all the meetings

2. negotiation state = weaker states lack power because they are influenced by greater states

3. decision-making stages = weaker states have the same voting power as powerful ones and bargain with it

What can the UN GA do?

treat any matter within the jurisdiction of the UN

When do they meet

• Usually a full week in september = superbowl of diplomacy

• UNGA can also convene in special sessions (Art. 20 Charter Rules of Procedures)

What are the UN GA resolutions?

Political recommendations - not legally binding

How are resolutions passed?

With a 2/3 majority vote

List the 6 issues where a 2/3 vote system is used

1. Peace & security

2. Election of member of the UNSC

3. Acceptance of new members in the GA

4. Suspension of GA members

5. Budgetary issues

How many resolutions are passed by consensus

80%

How many UN member states?

193

What is the 4 step procedure to become a member

1. States send application to the UN Secretary General

2. After being assessed, passed on the un UNSC

3. Need to get a positive (9 votes in favour & no veto) 

4. Finally passed to the UN GA

5. 2/3 of UNGA must vote in favour

What is an example of a case study of a state that requested to member of the UNGA

Palestine

Since when has it been a non-state observer

1974

When did it request full membership

2011

Why did Palestine not get UNGA membership?

The US as a permanent member with veto power voted against it

What other organisations did Palestine join?

UNESCO in 2011 and ICC in 2014

What did Palestine requests from the UNGA

for ‘enhanced observer status’, accepted by the UNGA

What are the 4 different statuses in the UN

1. Member state = 193

2. Non-member observer states = Holy See, Palestine; Switzerland 

3. IGO’s with observer status = AU, OAS, League of Arab States…

4. EU = enhanced observer status 2011

How are the rights of observers decided

By the UNGA

What rights of observers do the UNGA decide on?

1. right to speak

2. right to vote on procedural matters

What rights does the EU have in the UNGA?

1. speak

2. vote on procedural matters

3. submit/amend proposals, circulate documents

What right does the UN not have

The right to vote on matters of substance

List the 5 regional groups in the UN

1. African Group (54)

2. Asia-Pacific Group (53)

3. Easter-Europe group (23)

4. Latin America & the Caribbean (33)

5. Western Europe & Other Group (28)

List the 6 main committees in the UNGA

1. Disarmament & International Security Committee

2. Economic & Financial Committee

3. Social, Humanitarian, & Cultural Committee

4. Special Political & Decolonization Committee

5. Administrative & Budgetary Committee

6. Legal Committee

What are the tasks of the committees of the UNGA

• Prepare draft statements

• Draft resolutions

• Report back to the plenary meeting

Who decides on the budget of the UN?

The UNGA

List the 3 step procedure

1. ACABQ proposal - drafts and proposals for the 5th (Administrative Budgetary Committee

2. 5th committee review (2 readings)

3. UNGA Plenary decision on draft resolution

What changed about the plenary decision process by the UNGA

It changed from a 2/3 majority to agreement on consensus in 1986

What core activities does the regular budget finance?

1. the six main organs

2. eight headquarters

3. international conferences

4. political missions (e.g. UNAMA)

What is the regular budget in 2025?

$3.7 billion

What state contributes the most and minimum

USA = 22%

0.001% of total expenditures

What do the 128 least paying countries pay?

1.3% of the budget

What type of agreement for the regular budget?

Informal agreement - regular budget adopted on consensus

What is the deadline for states to pay the regular budget

September

How many member states paid on time in 2025

49

How do member states use their payment

As a political instrument by paying last minute

What is the sanctioning mechanism for late payment

called the ‘nuclear option’ = loss of voting right in the GA

What is a resolution passed by the UNGA for Peace & Security

The Uniting for Peace Resolution

What are the origins of The Uniting for Peace Resolution?

a dispute between the Soviet Union and other Security Council members about China in 1950

What resolution did the UNGA adopt in 1950

Uniting for Peace Resolution 377: If the UN SC fails to reach unanimity:

• the UNGA “shall consider the matter immediately —> emergency sessions within 24 hours

• the UNGA may establish a peace operation

When are special emergency sessions called

1. If 7 UNSC council members are in favour of a sessions

OR
2. If the majority of the members of the UNGA vote in favour

How many emergency special sessions have there been?

11

Give 3 examples of emergency sessions

1. Congo

2. Ukraine

3. Palestine

What is the 2022 Veto Initiative

UNGA Resolution 76/262: if veto is used in SC, the GA will consider the matter within 10 working days

What is the use of the 2022 veto initiative

1. Increase accountability of UNSC - requiring justification for veto by SC submitting a report

2. New tool for UNGA to become active 

3. Only invoked with a veto vote

Can compliance be forced

NO

Why do states comply with UN rules?

• to preserve their international reputation

• to encourage reciprocal cooperation

• setting the maintenance of the organisation as in their best interest 

Does the UNGA have any explicit enforcement power

NO

What indirect ways does it enforce its recommendations?

• “Uniting for Peace Resolution (377) - giving authority to send peace operations into conflict zones

• Suspending countries from participating in the Assembly

• Economic sanctions and arms embargoes