United Nations Security Council (UNSC)

It’s a known fact that the global pandemic has severally affected most of the nations of the world causing problems like downfall in economic crisis, unemployment, etc. but having said that it has also forced the world’s strongest economies to acknowledge the fact that countries like India can play a major role in showing an ideal way to the world to fight against such problems.

Consequently, India has been accepted as a temporary member of the United Nations Security Council on 18th June 2020 and will begin its tenure from Jan 2021. Earlier, India was a temporary member of the UNSC for the year 2011-12. This time, India is expected to raise the issue of terrorism and to enhance the majority to become a permanent member of the Council.

Let’s know a little more about this global institution and the importance of its functioning on a global level.

1.    What do you understand by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC)?

The United Nations Security Council is one of the six chief structures of the United Nations obliged with the accountable to safeguard global peace and security, consideration of admission of the new UN members to the General Assembly, and appreciating any alterations to the UN charter. The UNSC came into being after the end of the Second World War on 17th Jan 1946 with its primary objectives to become a global institution to ensure peacekeeping operations, enacting international sanctions, and authorizing military actions. It has the advantage of being the sole UN entity with the authorization to provide resolutions that are binding on the member states.

The UNSC is constituted through a total of fifteen member nations out of which, there are five permanent member nations who were the successors in the Second World War namely-

a.    People’s Republic of China

b.    France

c.    United States

d.    The United Kingdom

e.    Russia

Additionally, there are ten non-permanent members who are elected on a regional basis to serve a term of two years at a time. The body’s presidency rotates among its fifteen members and the decisions are taken on passing of a resolution. However, the permanent members can use their veto to defeat any substantive resolution passed by the members. Such resolutions are typically enforced by the UN peacekeepers and the military forces provided voluntarily by the member states.

2.   Objectives & roles of the UNSC

Under the UN Charter, the main objectives of the UNSC council include-

a.    To preserve the international harmony & safety in  agreement with the values and commitments of the UN;

b.    To investigate & resolve any argument or condition which might lead to international disturbance;

c.    To endorse means of settling disputes or carving out the terms of settlement;

d.    To make strategies for the formation of a system for the regulation of the armaments;

e.    To investigate the existence of a possible threat to peace and to suggest solutions to the probable arrangements;

f.    To invite members to put  economic sanctions and other measures not related to the use of force or to prevent aggression ;

g.    To initiate military action on the part of the aggressor;

h.    To endorse the admittance of a new members nation;

i.    To employ functions related to trusteeship in “strategic areas” of the United Nation

j.     Giving Recommendation to the General Assembly in the matters of the appointment of –

       •    Secretary-General and;

       •    Judges of International Court of Justice;

3.    Reforms of the UNSC

The UNSC incorporates five major concerns-

a.    Categories of the membership;

b.    On the question of veto held by the permanent members;

c.    Size of the enlarged council;

d.    Functioning of the Council;

e.    Relationship between Security Council & the General Assembly;

Therefore, any resolution of the security-council necessitates the agreement of at least two-thirds of UN member- states in a voting resolution in the General Assembly subject to ratification by the two-third of the member states. All of the permanent members of the UNSC(having veto powers) must agree by them.

Conclusion:

Therefore, acceptance of India as a non-permanent member with a voting majority of 184 votes out of 192 member nations is a global opportunity for India to boost its majority and gain permanent membership in the UNSC.

Author:

eStartIndia Team