General Assembly

1. What is the structure of the UN Organisation?

The Charter establishes six principal organs of the United Nations: the General
Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council, the Trusteeship
Council, the International Court of Justice and the Secretariat. Also, the United
Nations encompasses 15 specialized agencies and numerous programmes and
funds.

2. Who is the General Assembly composed of?

The General Assembly is the main deliberative (совещательный) organ of the
United Nations. It is composed of representatives of all member states, each of
which has one vote.

3. How are decisions on important questions voted on?

Decisions on important questions (such as those on peace and security, admission
of new members and budgetary matters) require a two-thirds majority.

4. What are the powers and functions of the GA under the UN Charter?
Under the Charter, the functions and powers of the General Assembly include:
 considering and making recommendations on the principles of cooperation
in the maintenance of international peace and security;
 discussing any question relating to international peace and security and,
except where a dispute or situation is being discussed by the Security
Council;
 discussing and making recommendations on any question within the scope
(в рамках) of the Charter or affecting the powers and functions of any organ
of the United Nations;
 initiating studies and making recommendations to promote international
political cooperation, the development and codification of international law,
the realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, and
international collaboration in the economic, social, cultural, educational and
health fields;
 receiving and considering reports from the Security Council and other
United Nations organs;
 considering and approving the United Nations budget and apportioning the
contributions among members;
 electing the non-permanent members of the Security Council, the members
of the Economic and Social Council and additional members of the
Trusteeship Council (when necessary); electing jointly with the Security
Council the judges of the International Court of Justice; and, on the
recommendation of the Security Council, appointing the Secretary-General.

5. Besides a new President who else does the GA elect each year?
The election of the President of the Assembly, as well as its 21 Vice- Presidents
and the Chairpersons of its six main committees, takes place at least three months
before the start of the GA regular session.

6. At whose request may emergency special sessions be called?

Emergency special sessions may be called within 24 hours of a request by the
Security Council on the vote of any nine Council members, or by a majority of the
members of the United Nations, or by one member if the majority of members
concur.

7. Who is UN the year-round work carried out by?

The work is carried out:
 by committees and other bodies established by the Assembly to study and
report on specific matters such as disarmament, peacekeeping, development
and human rights;
 in international conferences called for by the Assembly; and
 by the Secretariat of the United Nations—the Secretary-General and his staff
of international civil servants.
Most questions are discussed in one of the six Main Committees of the Assembly:
• First Committee (Disarmament and International Security);
• Second Committee (Economic and Financial);
• Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural);
• Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization);
• Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary);
• Sixth Committee (Legal).

Security Council

8. What is the UN Security Council’s responsibility under the UN Charter?

The Security Council of the United Nations—one of its key distinctions from the
League of Nations being the ability to enforce its decisions— has primary
responsibility, under the Charter, for the maintenance of international peace and
security.

9. How many members are there in the UN Security Council? How long is the
term of service of the Security Council members?
It has 15 members: five permanent members (China, France, the Russian
Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States), and 10 members elected
by the General Assembly for two-year terms.

10. Describe the procedure of voting in the Security Council.

Each member has one vote. Decisions on procedural matters are made by an
affirmative vote of at least 9 of the 15 members. Decisions on substantive matters
require nine votes and the absence of a negative vote (veto) by any of the five
permanent members.
11. Whose decisions are Member States obligated to carry out?
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.

12. What are the powers and functions of the UN Security Council?
The functions and powers of the Security Council include the following:
 maintaining international peace and security in accordance with the
principles and purposes of the United Nations;
 formulating plans for establishing a system to regulate armaments
(вооружённые силы);
 calling upon the parties to a dispute to settle it by peaceful means;
 investigating any dispute or situation that might lead to international friction;
 determining the existence of a threat to the peace or act of aggression and
recommending what action should be taken;
 calling upon members of the United Nations to apply measures not
involving the use of armed force—such as sanctions
 resorting to or authorizing the use of force to maintain or restore
international peace and security;
 recommending to the General Assembly the appointment of the Secretary-
 General and, together with the Assembly, electing the judges of the
International Court of Justice;
 recommending to the General Assembly the admission of new members to
the United Nations.

13. How is the UN Security Council organized?

The Security Council is organized in such a way that it can function continuously.
A representative of each of its members must be present at all times at UN
Headquarters.

14. What is the SC first concern when a dispute leads to fighting?

When a dispute leads to hostilities (военные действия), the Councils primary

concern is to bring them to an end as soon as possible.

 It may issue ceasefire directives that can help prevent an escalation of the
conflict.
 The Council may also dispatch military observers or a peacekeeping force,
separate opposing forces.
 Beyond this, the Council may opt for enforcement measures, including
economic sanctions, arms embargoes, financial penalties and restrictions,
and travel bans; severance of diplomatic relations; blockade; or even
collective military action.
ECOSOC

1. How many members does the ECOSOC consist of and what is the term in
the office?

The Charter of the United Nations establishes the Economic and Social Council
(www.un.org/ecosoc) as the principal organ to coordinate the economic, social and
related work of the United Nations and the specialized agencies and other bodies.
The 54 members of the Council serve for three-year terms.

2. Does each ECOSOC member have one vote?

Voting in the Council is by simple majority, with each member having one vote.

3. Name functions and powers of the Economic and Social Council.

ECOSOC is tasked with:

 serving as the central forum for discussing international economic and social
issues, and for formulating policy recommendations addressed to member
states and the United Nations system;
 making or initiating studies and reports and making recommendations on
international economic, social, cultural, educational, health and related
matters;
 promoting respect for, and observance of, human rights and fundamental
freedoms;
 assisting in preparing and organizing major international conferences in the
economic, social and related fields and promoting a coordinated follow-up
to these conferences;
 coordinating the activities of the specialized agencies through consultations
with and recommendations to them as well as to the General Assembly.
ECOSOC plays a key role in fostering international cooperation for
development and in setting priorities for action throughout the UN system.

4. ECOSOC sessions are held each year, aren’t they? Describe the procedure.

The Council normally holds several short sessions and many preparatory meetings,
roundtables and panel discussions throughout the year with members of civil
society dealing with the organization of its work. It also holds a four-week
substantive session in July, alternating annually between New York and Geneva.
That session includes a high-level segment, attended by cabinet ministers and other
officials, to discuss major economic, social and humanitarian issues.

5. What does the subsidiary machinery of ECOSOC include?

The year-round work of the Council is carried out in its subsidiary and related
bodies. These include:

 8 functional commissions—deliberative bodies (совещательный орган)

whose role is to consider and make recommendations on issues in their areas
of responsibility and expertise: the Statistical Commission, Commission on
Population and Development etc.
 5 Regional Commissions: Economic Commission for Africa, Economic
Commission for Europe (Geneva) etc.
 3 standing committees: Committee for Programme and Coordination,
Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations, Committee on
Negotiations with Intergovernmental Agencies;
 expert bodies on such topics as geographical names, public administration,
international cooperation in tax matters, and the transport of dangerous
goods;
 other bodies, including the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.
6. Characterize the ECOSOC relations with non-governmental bodies.

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are seen by the United Nations as

important partners and valuable links to civil society. Under the Charter of the
United Nations, the Economic and Social Council may consult not only with
member states, but also with NGOs concerned with matters within its competence.

The Council classifies NGOs into three categories: general organizations are those
concerned with most of the Councils activities; special organizations are those
offering competence in particular areas corresponding to the concerns of the
Council; and roster organizations are those that can contribute to the Council when
consulted on an ad hoc basis.

The Trusteeship Council

1. Why was the Trusteeship Council established? What does the UN

Charter authorize the Trusteeship Council to do?

The Trusteeship Council was originally established by the Charter to provide

international supervision for 11 Trust Territories placed under the
administration of seven member states, and to ensure that adequate steps were
taken to prepare the Territories for self-government or independence.

2. What happened to all Trust Territories?

The Trusteeship Council carried out this work for forty-nine years. And on 1
November 1994, the Trusteeship Council suspended operation following the
 independence of Palau, the last remaining UN trust territory, on 1 October of
that year.

The International Court of Justice

1. What is the International Court of Justice?

The International Court of Justice is the principal judicial organ of the United
Nations.

2. Where is International Court of Justice (ICJ) based?

It is located at The Hague (The Netherlands), it is the only one of the six
principal organs not located in New York.

3. The ICJ is not open to private individuals, is it?

The Court is open to all states that are parties to its Statute, which includes all
members of the United Nations. Only states, however, may be parties in
contentious cases before the Court and submit disputes to it. The Court is not
open to private persons and entities or other international organizations. A civil
tribunal, it does not have criminal jurisdiction to prosecute individuals.

4. Who can ask the ICJ for an advisory opinion?

The General Assembly and the Security Council can ask the Court for an
opinion on any legal question. Other organs of the United Nations and the
specialized agencies, when authorized by the Assembly, can ask for advisory
opinions on legal questions within the scope of their activities.

5. Speak on the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice.

The Court’s jurisdiction covers all questions referred to it by states and all matters
provided for in the Charter or in international treaties and conventions. States may
bind themselves in advance to accept the jurisdiction of the Court, either by
signing a treaty or convention that provides for referral to the Court or by making a
declaration to that effect. Such declarations accepting compulsory jurisdiction
often contain reservations excluding certain classes of disputes. In accordance with
its Statute, the Court decides disputes by applying the following: international
conventions establishing rules expressly recognized by the contesting states;
international custom; the general principles of law recognized by nations; etc.

6. How many Judges are there in the ICJ and how are they chosen?
The Court is composed of 15 judges elected by the General Assembly and the
Security Council, voting independently. They are chosen on the basis of their
qualifications. Care is taken to ensure that the principal legal systems of the world
are represented in the Court. Although there is no entitlement to membership on
the part of any country, the Court has always included judges of the nationality of
the permanent members of the Security Council.

Secretariat

1. Name the duties of the Secretariat.

The Secretariat services the other principal organs of the United Nations and
administers the programmes and policies established by them.

 The duties extend from peacekeeping operations mediating international

disputes and organizing humanitarian relief programmes to surveying
economic and social trends, preparing studies on human rights and
sustainable development and laying the groundwork for international
agreements.
 Secretariat staff also inform the world—the media, governments, NGOs,
research and academic networks and the general public—about the work of
the United Nations.
 They organize international conferences on issues of global significance;
interpret speeches and translate documents into the Organization’s official
languages; and establish clearing-houses of information, making possible
international collaboration in all areas of science and technology, as well as
cultural, economic and social activities.

2. Who is at the head of the Secretariat?

At its head is the Secretary-General, who is appointed by the General Assembly on

the recommendation of the Security Council for a renewable five-year term.

3. What can you say about the staff of the Secretariat?

The UN Secretariat consists of 44,000 staff members all nationalities working in

duty stations around the world.

4. Who do they answer to for their activities?

As international civil servants, staff members and the Secretary-General answer to

the United Nations alone for their activities, not to any member state or other
organization, even as they serve the community of nations.
5. The United Nations Headquarters is situated in New York only, isn’t it?

The United Nations headquartered in New York.

6. How is the Secretary-General described by the Charter?

The Charter describes the Secretary-General as “chief administrative officer” of

the Organization, who acts in that capacity and performs such other functions as
are entrusted to him or her by the Security Council, General Assembly, Economic
and Social Council and other United Nations organs.

7. Why is the person defined both as Secretary and General?

The Secretary-General is equal parts diplomat and advocate, civil servant and chief
executive officer.

8. Whose concerns should the Secretary-General take careful account of?

The Secretary-General should take careful account of the needs and concerns of
individual member states, but he should also uphold the values and moral authority
of the United Nations and speak and act independently for peace.

9. What does the Charter empower the Secretary-General to do?

The Charter also empowers the Secretary-General to bring to the attention of the
Security Council any matter which might threaten the maintenance of international
peace and security.

10. The Secretary-General’s work entails a lot of duties. Speak on them.

• The Secretary-General attends sessions of United Nations bodies as well as

consultations with world leaders, government officials, civil society
representatives, members of the private sector and private individuals

• The Secretary-General brings to the attention of the Security Council any

matter which might threaten the maintenance of international peace and security

• The Secretary-General issues an annual report on the work of the

Organization that appraises its activities and outlines future priorities.

• The Secretary-General drives the search for solutions to problems that

acknowledge the perspective of individual member states in the context of the
needs of the world at large

11. Dwell on the “good offices” of the Secretary-General.

One of the most vital roles played by the Secretary-General, however, is the use of
his good offices—steps taken publicly and in private, drawing upon his
independence, impartiality and integrity—to prevent international disputes from
arising, escalating or spreading. Over the years, the good offices of the Secretary-
General—including the work of his special and personal representatives and
envoys—have proven beneficial in a wide range of situations, including those
involving Cyprus, East Timor, Iraq, Libya, the Middle East, Nigeria and Western
Sahara.

12. When did a sweeping reform package was presented?

In March 2005, the most comprehensive reform and policy agenda to date was
presented. It was presented by the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations
Mr. Kofi Annan. He addressed issues such as terrorism, financing for
development, enlarging the Security Council and replacing the Human Rights
Commission. He also asked for the creation of a new Human Rights Council, and
proposed reforms for the UN Secretariat.

13. Was a sweeping reform package adopted by the General Assembly and
did it have an impact on the UN?

In general reform package wasn’t adopted. After several months of negotiation, the
United States demanded hundreds of line-by-line revisions just three weeks before
the Summit. As a result, other states proposed new amendments of their own and
the negotiating consensus unraveled. Eventually, when world leaders assembled in
New York, the text had been reduced to a set of vague generalities. Although the
Human Rights Council was created, and this was a part of a comprehensive UN
reform effort by Kofi Annan.

14. Why was a new post of Deputy Secretary-General created?

The post of Deputy Secretary-General was established by the General Assembly at

the end of 1997 as part of the reform of the United Nations, to help manage
Secretariat operations and to ensure coherence of activities and programmes.