POLI104 reading 2 - Gifkins 2021 'Beyond the Veto' - IOs

Introduction

• Decisions by the UN Security Council are impactful, yet the process is informal and secretive.
• Studies often focus on specific conflicts or foreign policies, overlooking broader dynamics.
• Understanding influence requires examining the roles of permanent members (P5), elected members (E10), and the UN Secretariat.
• P5 members dominate negotiations, but E10 and the Secretariat have avenues for influence through legitimacy and authority.

Formal Rules, Institutional Power, and Legitimacy

• The UN Charter outlines membership and voting, but doesn't explain daily operations.
• Informal practices significantly impact decision-making.
• Institutional power and legitimacy shape actors' roles and influence.
• P5 dominance extends beyond formal rules via informal vetoes, agenda setting, and drafting control.
• Legitimacy, sought through unanimity and regional support, moderates P5 power and enhances E10 influence.
• The UN Secretariat influences negotiations by shaping norms and providing legitimated authority.

The Role of Permanent Members

• P5 dominance stems from voting powers and extends into informal practices.
• Institutional power enables "informal vetoes," agenda setting, and penholding.
• Informal vetoes involve threatening to reject resolutions during negotiations.
• P5 members, especially the P3 (United Kingdom, United States, and France), control agenda setting, prioritizing their interests.
• Penholding, dominated by the P3, involves leading the drafting of decisions, setting the terms of debate.

The Role of Elected Members

• E10 influence is underestimated; legitimacy mitigates P5 power.
• Drafters seek unanimous decisions, increasing E10 leverage.
• Support from regional E10 members is highly valued.
• E10 members enhance influence through collective action and strong diplomatic capacities.
• Acting as a bloc and leveraging diplomatic skills can magnify influence.
• E10 members chair Sanctions Committees, influencing sanctions application.
• Despite limitations, E10 members can impact decisions through strategic actions.

The Role of the UN Secretary-General and Secretariat

• The Secretariat influences negotiations through legitimated authority.
• The Secretary-General shapes the normative environment and provides normative guidance.
• Departments provide information and advice, carrying legitimated authority.
• The Secretary-General acts as a norm entrepreneur, framing issues and promoting new tools.
• DPO provides expert recommendations on peacekeeping operations.
• OCHA advocates for consistent language in resolutions.

Conclusion

• Informal rules govern daily Security Council practices.
• Institutional power explains how permanent members extend their power.
• Legitimacy mediates P5 dominance, enabling E10 influence.
• The UN Secretariat shapes norms and provides recommendations.
• Informal changes to practices offer the most promising avenues for reform.