When was the UN founded? History of the creation of the UN
The United Nations is the center for solving the problems facing all humanity. These activities are carried out jointly by more than 30 associated organizations that make up the United Nations system. Every day, the United Nations and other organizations in its system work to promote human rights, protect the environment, fight disease and reduce poverty.
The United Nations was created on October 24, 1945 by fifty-one countries determined to preserve peace through international cooperation and collective security. Today, 191 countries are members of the United Nations, that is, almost all countries of the world. When states become members of the United Nations, they accept the obligations set out in the Charter of the United Nations, which is an international treaty that sets out the basic principles of international relations.
According to the Charter, the United Nations has four purposes in its activities: to maintain international peace and security, to develop friendly relations among nations, to carry out international cooperation in solving international problems and in promoting respect for human rights, and to be a center for coordinating the actions of nations in achieving these common goals.
History of the United Nations
The emergence of the UN was due to a number of objective factors in the military-strategic, political, and economic development of human society at the end of the second millennium. The creation of the UN was the embodiment of mankind’s eternal dream of such a structure and organization of international society that would save humanity from an endless series of wars and ensure peaceful living conditions for peoples, their progressive advancement along the path of socio-economic progress, prosperity and development, free from fear for the future .
The discussion and development of the problem of the universal organization of labor and safety began with the Atlantic Party, signed by US President F.D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Gergel on August 14, 1941, and the Declaration of the USSR Government at the inter-union conference in London on September 24, 1941, in which The first to formulate an extremely important task facing peace-loving states, namely “to determine ways and means for organizing international relations and the post-war structure of the world.”
The first intergovernmental document adopted during the Second World War, which put forward the idea of creating a new international security organization, was the Declaration of the Government of the Soviet Union and the Government of the Polish Republic on Friendship and Mutual Assistance, signed in Moscow on December 4, 1941. It indicated that ensuring a lasting and just world could only be achieved by a new organization of international relations, not based on the unification of democratic countries into a lasting union. When creating such an organization, the decisive point should be “respect for international law, supported by the collective armed force of all Union States.”
January 1, 1942 In Washington, the United Nations Declaration was signed by 26 states participating in the anti-Hitler coalition, including the USSR, on joint efforts in the fight against Nazi Germany, fascist Italy and militaristic Japan. Later, the name “united nations” was proposed for the new organization by US President R.D. Roosevelt and was officially used for the UN Charter.
At the proposal of the US government, in August - September 1944, a conference of four powers - the USSR, Great Britain, the USA and China - was held in Dumbarton Oaks, on the outskirts of Washington, at which the agreed text of the final document was signed: “Proposal for the creation of a General International Security Organization.” These proposals served as the basis for the development of the UN Charter.
During the Conference in San Francisco on April 25, 1945. The text of the UN Charter was prepared, which was signed on June 26, 1945. From the date of entry into force of the UN Charter on October 24, 1945, when the last 29th instrument of ratification of the USSR was deposited with the US Government, the beginning of the existence of the UN is officially counted. By decision of the General Assembly adopted in 1947. The day the UN Charter came into force was officially declared “United Nations Day,” which is solemnly celebrated annually in UN member countries.
The UN Charter embodies democratic ideals, which is expressed, in particular, in the fact that it affirms faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equality of men and women, and enshrines the equality of large and small nations. The UN Charter establishes as its main objectives the maintenance of international peace and security, the settlement by peaceful means, in accordance with the principles of justice and international law, of international disputes and situations. It defines that the UN is founded on the principle of the sovereign equality of all its members, that all members fulfill in good faith the obligations under the Charter so as to secure to them all the rights and benefits arising from membership in the Organization, that all members must resolve by and refrain from the threat of force or its application and that the UN has the right to intervene in matters essentially within the domestic competence of any state. The UN Charter emphasizes the open nature of the Organization, whose members can be all peace-loving states.
How the UN works
The United Nations is not a world government and does not make laws. However, it does provide tools that help resolve international conflicts and develop policies on issues that affect us all. At the United Nations, all Member States - large and small, rich and poor, with different political views and social systems - have the right to express their opinions and vote through the process.
The United Nations has six main organs. Five of them - the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council, the Trusteeship Council and the Secretariat - are located at United Nations Headquarters in New York. The sixth body, the International Court of Justice, is located in The Hague, the Netherlands.
UN General Assembly
This is a body in which all UN member states are represented. The General Assembly is endowed with a number of very important functions: the authority to consider the general principles of cooperation in maintaining international peace and security, including the principles defining weapons, as well as to discuss a wide range of problems of cooperation between states in the political, economic, social, environmental, scientific, technical and other areas and make recommendations on them.
The General Assembly holds annual regular sessions, which are only interrupted in December of each year and continue until the beginning of the next session. Plenary sessions open on the Tuesday after the second Monday in September. Such special (from 1946 to 2000 there were 24) and emergency special (from 1946 to 1999 there were 10) sessions are convened. The provisional agenda for the next session is drawn up by the Secretary-General and communicated to UN members at least 60 days before the opening of the session.
A characteristic feature of the activities of the General Assembly in recent years is that the concept first used in 1964 is becoming increasingly important in its work, and in the work of all UN bodies. in the Security Council and the widely used method in the General Assembly of developing and adopting resolutions based on the principle of agreement (consensus), i.e. reaching general agreement without voting on the relevant decision.
Resolutions of the General Assembly are not legally binding on states, but also cannot be qualified as simple calls or wishes. States must review General Assembly resolutions carefully and in good faith.
Resolutions and declarations of the General Assembly are the most important standard for the formation of international law. The UN has developed the following practice for developing international legal documents. First, a declaration is adopted on an issue (for example, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights), and then, on the basis of such declarations, international treaties and conventions are developed (two International Human Rights Acts, the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, etc.).
The General Assembly is a truly democratic representative body of sovereign states. Each member of the General Assembly, regardless of the size of the territory, population, economic and military power, has one vote. Decisions of the General Assembly on important issues are taken by a 2/3 majority of the members of the Assembly present and voting.
States that are not members of the UN, those with permanent observers at the UN (Vatican City, Switzerland) and those without, can take part in the work of the General Assembly. In addition, representatives of a number of international organizations (specialized agencies of the UN, OAS, Arab League, OAU, EU, CIS, etc.) received the right to participate as Palestinian observers.
The Security Council consists of 15 members: five members of the Council are permanent (Russia, USA, Great Britain, France and China), the remaining ten members (in the terminology of the Charter - “non-permanent”) are elected to the Council in accordance with the procedure provided for by the Charter.
Decisions on procedural issues in the Security Council are considered adopted if at least nine members of the Council vote for them. The main form of recommendations adopted by the Security Council is a resolution. Over more than half a century, more than 1300 of them have been accepted.
Over the course of many years of activity, the Security Council has developed very specific methods and forms of its response and influence on certain events in the world. One of these methods is the condemnation by the Council of a particular state for unlawful actions committed by it in violation of the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. For example, the Council has repeatedly condemned South Africa in its decisions for pursuing the criminal policy of apartheid. Often the Security Council resorted to such a method as stating a political fact, a particular current situation. This is precisely how numerous Security Council resolutions defined the situation in Southern Africa, created by Pretoria’s aggressive actions against “front-line” African states.
The most commonly used technique, an appeal to states, is a method of resolving conflicts by the Security Council. He repeatedly appealed to stop hostilities, observe a ceasefire, withdraw troops, etc. During the consideration of a complex of problems of the Yugoslav settlement, the Iran-Iraq conflict, the situation in Angola, Georgia, Tajikistan and along the Tajik-Afghan border.
The Security Council often performed the functions of reconciling parties in disputes and conflicts. To this end, the Council appointed mediators, especially often entrusting the Secretary General or his representative with the functions of providing good offices, mediation and reconciliation of the parties. These functions were used by the Council when considering the Palestinian and Kashmir issues, the situation in the former Yugoslavia, etc.
Since 1948 The Security Council began to resort to such a method as sending groups of military observers and monitoring missions to monitor the implementation of demands for a ceasefire, the terms of the armistice agreements, political settlement, etc. Until 1973, military observers were recruited almost exclusively from citizens of Western countries. For the first time in 1973 Soviet observer officers were included in the Palestine Truce Supervision Authority (UNTSO), which still performs useful functions in the Middle East. Observation missions were also sent to Lebanon (UNOGIL), India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP), Uganda and Rwanda (UNOMUR), El Salvador (MNEP), Tajikistan (UNMOT), etc.
An important area of activity of the Security Council is its interaction with regional organizations. Such cooperation is carried out in various forms, including through regular consultations, the provision of diplomatic support, through which a particular regional organization can take part in UN peacekeeping activities (for example, CFE in Albania), through the parallel operational deployment of peacekeeping missions (for example, the UN Monitoring Mission in Liberia (UNOMIL) was deployed jointly with the Ecological Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) in Liberia, and the UN Monitoring Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) operates in cooperation with the CIS peacekeeping force in Georgia) and through joint operations (for example, the UN-OAS International Civilian Mission in Haiti (MICIVIH).
The Security Council plays an important role in the early detection and detection of emerging conflicts. In recent years, there has been an urgent need to create early warning systems for the emergence of hotbeds of tension, the danger of a nuclear accident, environmental threats, mass movements of population, natural disasters, the threat of famine and the spread of diseases and epidemics. This kind of information could be used to assess whether a threat to peace exists and to analyze what actions could be taken by the United Nations to reduce it and what preventive actions and measures could be taken by the Security Council and other UN bodies.
One of the most frequently used tools by the Security Council is preventive diplomacy. Preventive diplomacy is an action of a political, diplomatic, international, legal and other nature aimed at preventing the emergence of disputes and disagreements between the parties, preventing them from escalating into conflicts and limiting the scope of conflicts after they arise. Cooperating with the Secretary-General, the Council actively used the means of preventive diplomacy, providing conditions for reconciliation, mediation, good offices, establishment and other preventive actions.
The most frequently used tool, especially recently, is peacekeeping operations (PKOs), which have only been carried out by the UN since 1948. over 50. Peacekeeping operation - a set of actions undertaken with the consent of the conflicting parties, interconnected in goals, objectives, place and time, with the participation of impartial military, police and civilian personnel in support of efforts to stabilize the situation in areas of potential or existing conflicts, carried out in accordance with mandated by the Security Council or regional organizations and aimed at creating conditions conducive to a political settlement of the conflict and maintaining or restoring international peace and security.
The Security Council very often, especially in recent years, has used such a tool as sanctions - economic, political, diplomatic, financial and other coercive measures not related to the use of armed forces, carried out by decision of the Security Council in order to induce the relevant state to stop or refrain from actions. Constituting a threat to the peace, a breach of the peace or an act of aggression.
To monitor the implementation of sanctions, the Council established a number of subsidiary bodies, for example, the Board of Governors of the Compensation Commission and the Special Commission on the Situation between Iraq and Kuwait, the Sanctions Committees on Yugoslavia, Libya, Somalia, Angola, Haiti, Rwanda, Liberia, Sudan, Sierra Leone and others. The results of the Council's application of sanctions against them are far from clear. Thus, the economic sanctions adopted by the Council against the racist regime of Southern Rhodesia contributed to a certain extent to the liquidation of the racist regime, the achievement of independence by the people of Zimbabwe, and the entry of this country into 1980. as members of the UN. The value of sanctions as a means of resolving conflicts was clearly demonstrated in the resolution of other conflicts, for example, in Angola, Haiti, and South Africa. At the same time, it cannot be denied that in most cases the application of sanctions was associated with a number of negative consequences for the population and economy of the countries targeted by the sanctions and resulted in enormous material and financial damage for neighboring and third states that complied with the decisions of the Sanctions Council.
According to the UN Charter, the Security Council must function continuously and act “promptly and effectively” on behalf of UN members. To this end, each member of the Security Council must always be represented at the seat of the UN. According to the rules of procedure, the interval between meetings of the Security Council should not exceed 14 days, although in practice this rule was not always observed. On average, the Security Council held 77 formal meetings per year.
The Economic and Social Council operates under the general leadership of the General Assembly and coordinates the activities of the United Nations and the agencies of its system in the economic and social fields. As the main forum for discussing international economic and social issues and making policy recommendations in these areas, the Council plays an important role in strengthening international development cooperation. It also consults with non-governmental organizations (NGOs), thereby maintaining a vital link between the United Nations and civil society.
The Council consists of 54 members elected by the General Assembly for three years. The Council meets periodically throughout the year, meeting in July for its main session, during which critical economic, social and humanitarian issues are discussed at a high-level meeting.
The subsidiary bodies of the Council meet regularly and report to it. For example, the Commission on Human Rights monitors the observance of human rights in all countries of the world. Other bodies deal with social development, the status of women, crime prevention, drug abuse and sustainable development. The five regional commissions promote economic development and cooperation in their regions.
The Trusteeship Council was created to provide international oversight of the 11 trust territories administered by the seven member states, and to ensure that their governments were making the necessary efforts to prepare the territories for self-government or independence. By 1994, all Trust Territories had achieved self-government or independence, either as independent states or by joining neighboring independent states. The Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (Palau), administered by the United States, was the last to achieve self-government and became the 185th Member State of the United Nations.
Since the work of the Trusteeship Council has been completed, it currently consists of five permanent members of the Security Council. Its rules of procedure have been amended accordingly to enable it to hold meetings only when circumstances may require it.
International Court of Justice
The International Court of Justice - also known as the World Court - is the main judicial organ of the United Nations. Its 15 judges are elected by the General Assembly and the Security Council, which vote independently and simultaneously. The International Court of Justice deals with the settlement of disputes between states on the basis of the voluntary participation of interested states. If the state agrees to take part in the proceedings, it is obliged to comply with the decision of the Court. The Court also prepares advisory opinions for the United Nations and its specialized agencies.
Secretariat
The Secretariat conducts the operational and administrative work of the United Nations in accordance with the instructions of the General Assembly, the Security Council and other bodies. It is headed by the Secretary General, who provides overall administrative leadership.
The Secretariat is made up of departments and offices with approximately 7,500 regular budget-funded staff representing 170 countries. In addition to United Nations Headquarters located in New York, there are United Nations offices in Geneva, Vienna and Nairobi and other duty stations.
United Nations system
The International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and 13 other independent organizations called "specialized agencies" are linked to the United Nations through their respective cooperative agreements. These institutions, including the World Health Organization and the International Civil Aviation Organization, are independent bodies created on the basis of intergovernmental agreements. They are entrusted with a wide range of international functions in the economic, social and cultural fields, as well as in the fields of education, health and others. Some of them, such as the International Labor Organization and the Universal Postal Union, are older than the United Nations itself.
In addition, a number of United Nations offices, programs and funds - such as the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) - are involved in improving the social and economic situation of people in all regions of the world. They are accountable to the General Assembly or the Economic and Social Council.
All these organizations have their own governing bodies, budgets and secretariats. Together with the United Nations, they form one family, or the United Nations system. Together they provide technical assistance and other forms of practical assistance in virtually all economic and social areas.
The creation of the UN was an important historical milestone - the United Nations became the guarantor of peace and the ability to resolve conflicts without global military action. It was also a response to World War II.
How and when was the UN created?
The year of the end of the last world war and the year of the creation of the UN coincide - it is 1945. Then representatives from fifty countries around the world gathered in San Francisco to create a special organization. This conference was preceded by a meeting in Dumbarton Oaks - then representatives of Great Britain, China, the United States and the Soviet Union developed proposals for the charter of this organization. The meeting at Dumbarton Oaks took place from April to October 1944, and on June 26, the draft charter was signed by representatives of 50 powers. This day is considered the date of the creation of the UN.
Rice. 1. Signing ceremony of the UN Charter.
Poland was not present at the signing ceremony, but later also signed the document and became one of the founding states, which thus became 51.
The main reason for the creation of the United Nations is to prevent another world war, which could lead to even greater human casualties than the first and second.
Goals of the United Nations
They are enshrined in the Charter and mainly concern issues of maintaining peace and security. That is, the main goal of the UN is to resolve conflicts on an international scale exclusively by peaceful means and prevent threats to peace.
In addition, the UN deals with issues of cooperation on an international scale and in a variety of areas, from social and economic to cultural.
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Rice. 2. UN meeting.
To date, 193 states have already received UN membership. The last state to date to be admitted to the organization was South Sudan (July 14, 2011).
Structure of the United Nations
The main body of the UN is the General Assembly, in which all member states are represented (strictly 1 vote each).
But the main responsibility for maintaining peace lies with another body - the Security Council. It includes five permanent representatives - from Russia, China, America, Britain and France, as well as 10 non-permanent ones, which change every two years. They are elected by the General Assembly. Thus, there are fifteen members of the Security Council in total.
It also has a number of other bodies and a Secretary General. This person is elected for five years and can be re-elected an unlimited number of times, but to date no Secretary General has held this position for more than 10 years. The first UN Secretary General was the British Gladwin Jebb, who served for less than a year. After that, representatives from Norway, Sweden, Burma, Austria, Peru and Egypt, as well as Ghana, were elected to office. Today, the duties of UN Secretary General are performed by Ban Ki-moon from South Korea.
Rice. 3. Ban Ki-moon.
The headquarters of the United Nations is located in New York.
What have we learned?
When and for what reasons was the United Nations created, that is, the history of the creation of the UN was briefly outlined. We learned what goals this organization pursues - it was created in order to maintain peace and promote the resolution of conflicts between states through peaceful means. We learned what its structure is: that the two main bodies are the General Assembly and the Security Council, and the important figure is the Secretary General. Where is the headquarters of this organization and what other important international issues does it deal with?
UN International Day is celebrated on October 24th. On this day, we decided to remind our readers about what the UN is and why it was created.
What is the UN?
The United Nations is an organization of countries united to preserve peace, security and develop cooperation.
Date of creation: October 24, 1945. At that time, it included 51 countries. Currently, the UN includes 193 countries. These are all states of the world, except Palestine, the Holy See, SADR (Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic), Republic of China (Taiwan), Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Republic of Kosovo, TRNC (Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus).
The USSR joined the UN on its founding day.
Over the years, not a single country has withdrawn from the UN.
Each participating country is obliged to comply with the purposes and rules of the organization's Charter. But at the same time, every country has the right to vote.
By the way, the name was invented by US President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Official languages are English, Arabic, Spanish, Chinese, Russian and French.
Why was this organization created?
The reason was the Second World War, after which the leaders of the participating countries decided to create a mechanism for resolving world problems.
There are four main goals of the UN:
- maintaining peace and security,
- development of friendly relations between countries,
- cooperation on international issues and coordination of countries’ actions,
- ensuring respect for human rights, combating world problems (hunger, poverty, drug addiction and others).
Who is included in the UN and how?
In theory, any country that accepts the obligations outlined in the Charter and is capable of fulfilling them can join the organization. But only that country that is an internationally recognized state.
But in any case, accession requires the approval of the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council.
What is the UN doing today?
Ensures respect for human rights, fights poverty, drug addiction, disease, terrorism, deterioration of nature, and provides assistance to refugees.
The UN does not make laws, but participates in resolving international conflicts.
What is the structure of the UN?
The UN has six main governing bodies: the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council, the Trusteeship Council, the International Court of Justice (unlike all other bodies, it is located in The Hague, the Netherlands), and the Secretariat.
Plus 15 specialized agencies cooperating with the UN, several dozen programs and funds.
Who is in charge at the UN?
In fact, only governing bodies, but not any specific country. The main body is the General Council.
The UN Headquarters complex is located in the United States, in New York. Officially, this is an international zone, and the UN complex belongs to all members of the organization.
The same applies to expenses - the work of the UN is paid for by all member states. But everyone pays differently, depending on the country’s solvency, national income and population. For example, the US contribution is just over one fifth of the entire budget (as of 2013, $618 million. Japan - 10%, $304 million, Germany - 7%, $200 million, France - 5.5%, $157 million Russia comes in with 2.4% of the UN budget, which is $68 million.
The United Nations (UN) is an international organization created to maintain and strengthen international peace and security and develop cooperation between states.
The foundations of its activities and structure were developed during the Second World War by the leading participants in the Anti-Hitler Coalition. The name "United Nations", proposed by US President Franklin D. Roosevelt, was first used on January 1, 1942 in the Declaration of the United Nations, when, during World War II, representatives of 26 nations pledged on behalf of their governments to continue the common fight against the Axis powers.
It is noteworthy that earlier the first international organizations were created for cooperation in certain areas: the International Telegraph Union (1865), the Universal Postal Union (1874), etc. Both organizations are today specialized agencies of the UN.
The First International Peace Conference was convened in The Hague in 1899 to develop agreements on the peaceful resolution of crises, the prevention of war, and the rules of warfare. The conference adopted the Convention for the Peaceful Settlement of International Disputes and established the Permanent Court of Arbitration, which began its work in 1902.
World Food Program (WFP);
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD);
United Nations International Drug Control Program (UNDCP);
United Nations Human Settlements Program (UN-Habitat; UNHSP);
United Nations Environment Program (UNEP);
United Nations Volunteers (UNV);
United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF);
International Trade Center (ITC);
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
Educational and research institutions:
United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR);
United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI);
United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD);
United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR).
Other UN divisions:
United Nations System Staff College (UNSC);
International Computing Center (ICC);
Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS);
United Nations University (UNU);
United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), UN Women.
Commission on Narcotic Drugs;
Commission on Population and Development;
Commission on Science and Technology for Development;
Commission on the Status of Women;
Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice4
Commission on Sustainable Development;
Commission for Social Development;
Statistical Commission;
United Nations Forum on Forests.
Regional commissions of ECOSOC:
Economic Commission for Europe (ECE);
Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP);
Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA);
Economic Commission for Africa (ECA);
Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC).
ECOSOC Standing Committees: Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations, Committee on Negotiations with Intergovernmental Institutions, Committee on Program and Coordination.
ECOSOC Special Bodies: Ad Hoc Open Working Group on Informatics.
Expert bodies consisting of government experts:
United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names;
United Nations Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management;
Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods and the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals;
Intergovernmental Working Group of Experts on International Accounting and Reporting Standards.
Expert bodies consisting of members serving in their personal capacity: Committee on Development Policy, Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Committee of Experts on Public Administration, Committee of Experts on International Cooperation in Taxation, Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.
Bodies associated with the Council: Executive Board of the International Institute for the Advancement of Women, United Nations Population Prize Committee, Coordinating Council of the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS, International Narcotics Control Board.
When the international trusteeship system was created, the UN Charter established the Trusteeship Council as one of the main organs of the United Nations, which was entrusted with the task of overseeing the administration of trust territories falling under the trusteeship system.
The main objectives of the system were to promote the improvement of the conditions of the population of the Trust Territories and their progressive development towards self-government or independence. The Trusteeship Council consists of five permanent members of the Security Council - the Russian Federation, the United States, Great Britain, France and the People's Republic of China. The objectives of the trusteeship system were achieved when all trust territories achieved self-government or independence, either as independent states or through unification with neighboring independent countries.
In accordance with the Statute, the Trusteeship Council is empowered to examine and discuss reports of the Administering Authority relating to the political, economic and social progress of the peoples of the Trust Territories and educational progress, and, in consultation with the Administering Authority, to examine petitions coming from the Trust Territories and to arrange periodic and other special visits to trust territories.
The Trusteeship Council suspended its work on November 1, 1994, after the last remaining United Nations Trust Territory, Palau, gained independence on October 1, 1994. By resolution adopted on 25 May 1994, the Council amended its rules of procedure to remove the obligation to hold annual meetings and agreed to meet as often as necessary, either by its decision or by its President, or at the request of a majority of its members or the General Assembly, or the Security Council.
International Court of Justice.
It is the main judicial organ of the United Nations. It was established by the UN Charter to achieve one of the main purposes of the UN: “to carry out by peaceful means, in accordance with the principles of justice and international law, the settlement or settlement of international disputes or situations which may lead to a breach of the peace.” The Court operates in accordance with the Statute, which is part of the Charter, and its Rules of Procedure. It began operating in 1946, replacing the Permanent Court of International Justice (PCIJ), which was established in 1920 under the auspices of the League of Nations. The seat of the Court is the Peace Palace in The Hague (Netherlands).
Secretariat.
The Secretariat is an international staff located in agencies around the world and carrying out the varied day-to-day work of the Organization. It serves other main UN bodies and implements the programs and policies adopted by them. The Secretariat is headed by the Secretary General, who is appointed by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council for a period of 5 years with the possibility of re-election for a new term.
The responsibilities performed by the Secretariat are as varied as the issues the UN deals with, from leading peacekeeping operations to mediating international disputes, from compiling surveys of economic and social trends and issues to preparing studies on human rights and sustainable development. In addition, Secretariat staff guide and inform the world's media about the work of the UN; organizes international conferences on issues of global importance; monitors the implementation of decisions of UN bodies and translates speeches and documents into the official languages of the Organization.
UN specialized agencies and related bodies. UN specialized agencies are independent international organizations linked to the United Nations by a special cooperation agreement. Specialized institutions are created on the basis of intergovernmental agreements.
Specialized institutions:
Universal Postal Union (UPU);
World Bank Group;
International Development Association (IDA);
International Finance Corporation (IFC);
International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD);
International Center for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID);
Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA);
World Meteorological Organization (WMO);
World Health Organization (WHO);
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO);
World Tourism Organization (UNWTO);
International Maritime Organization (IMO);
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO);
International Labor Organization (ILO);
International Monetary Fund (IMF);
International Telecommunication Union (ITU);
International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD);
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO);
United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO);
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
UN related organizations:
World Trade Organization (WTO);
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA);
Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO);
Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).
Convention secretariats:
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities;
United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Severe Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa (UNCCD);
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
UN Trust Funds:
United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF);
United Nations Fund for International Partnerships (UNFIP).
The leadership of the UN is represented by the Chairman of the General Assembly and the Secretary General.
President of the General Assembly. Opens and closes each plenary meeting of the General Assembly of the United Nations, completely directs the work of the General Assembly and maintains order at its meetings.
Secretary General. The chief administrative officer is a symbol of the United Nations and a spokesman for the interests of the peoples of the world.
According to the Charter, the Secretary-General performs the functions assigned to him by the Security Council, the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council and other bodies of the United Nations.
The Secretary General is appointed by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council for a period of 5 years with the possibility of re-election for a new term.
Currently, there is a gentlemen's agreement in force according to which a citizen of a state that is a permanent member of the UN Security Council (Russia, USA, Great Britain, France and China) cannot be UN Secretary-General.
UN Secretaries General:
UN member states.
The original members of the UN included the 50 states that signed the UN Charter at the San Francisco Conference on June 26, 1945, as well as Poland. Since 1946, about 150 states have been admitted to the UN (but a number of states, such as Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia, have split into independent states). On July 14, 2011, with the admission of South Sudan to the UN, the number of UN member states was 193.
Only internationally recognized states that are subjects of international law can be members of the UN. According to the UN Charter, membership of the UN is open to all “peace-loving states which accept the obligations contained in the Charter and which, in the judgment of the Organization, are able and willing to fulfill these obligations.” “The admission of any such state to Membership of the Organization shall be effected by resolution of the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council.”
To admit a new member, the support of at least 9 of the 15 member states of the Security Council is required (while 5 permanent members - Russia, USA, Great Britain, France and China - can veto the decision). Once the recommendation is approved by the Security Council, the matter is referred to the General Assembly, where a two-thirds majority is required to pass an accession resolution. The new state becomes a member of the UN from the date of the General Assembly resolution.
Among the original members of the UN were countries that were not full-fledged internationally recognized states: along with the USSR, its two union republics - the Belarusian SSR and the Ukrainian SSR; British colony - British India (divided into now independent members - India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Myanmar); US-Philippines protectorate; as well as the virtually independent dominions of Great Britain - Canada, the Commonwealth of Australia, New Zealand, and the Union of South Africa.
In September 2011, the Palestinian Authority (the partially recognized State of Palestine) submitted an application for membership in the UN, but the satisfaction of this application was postponed until the Palestinian-Israeli settlement and general international recognition of Palestine.
In addition to member status, there is UN observer status, which may precede accession to full membership. Observer status is assigned by voting in the General Assembly, the decision is made by a simple majority. UN observers, as well as members of UN specialized agencies (for example, UNESCO), can be both recognized and partially recognized states and government entities. Thus, the observers at the moment are the Holy See and the State of Palestine, and for some time there were, for example, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Japan, Finland, and other countries that had the right to join, but temporarily did not use it for various reasons.
To organize the work of bodies in the UN system, official and working languages have been established. The list of these languages is defined in the rules of procedure of each body. All major UN documents, including resolutions, are published in official languages. Verbatim reports of meetings are published in working languages and speeches delivered in any official language are translated into them.
The official languages of the United Nations are: English, French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Arabic. If a delegation wishes to speak in a language that is not an official one, it must provide oral or written translation into one of the official languages.
Calculating the UN budget is a process in which all members of the organization are involved. The budget is put forward by the UN Secretary-General after agreement with the divisions of the organization and based on their requirements. The proposed budget is subsequently reviewed by the 16-member Administrative and Budgetary Advisory Committee and the 34-member Program and Coordination Committee. The committees' recommendations are forwarded to the General Assembly's Committee on Management and Budget, which includes all member states, which again carefully reviews the budget. Finally, it is presented to the General Assembly for final consideration and approval.
The main criterion used by member states in the General Assembly is the country's solvency. Solvency is determined based on the gross national product (GNP) and a number of adjustments, including adjustments for external debt and per capita income.
United Nations- is the largest - universal in the range of problems considered and worldwide in territorial coverage.
The name was proposed during World War II by US President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Created by 50 countries on October 24, 1945, The UN united 191 countries by 2005.
In accordance with the UN Charter, its main goals are:
- maintaining international peace and security;
- development of friendly relations between nations based on respect for the principle of equality and self-determination of peoples;
- implementation of cooperation in resolving international problems of an economic, social, cultural and humanitarian nature and respect for human rights;
- coordination of actions of nations in achieving common goals.
The basic principles of the UN: sovereign equality of all members, conscientious fulfillment of accepted obligations, peaceful resolution of international disputes, refraining from the threat of force. The UN Charter does not give the right to intervene in matters within the internal competence of an individual state.
The UN system has a complex organizational structure:
- The main bodies of the UN (the UN itself).
- UN programs and bodies.
- Specialized agencies and other independent organizations within the UN system.
- Other organizations, committees and related bodies.
- Organizations that are not part of the UN system, but are associated with it through cooperation agreements.
UN bodies
Established by the Charter six main organs of the United Nations: General Assembly, Security Council, Economic and Social Council, Trusteeship Council, International Court of Justice, Secretariat.
General Assembly(GA) is the main deliberative body of the UN. She consists of representatives of all member countries having one vote each. Decisions on issues of peace and security, admission of new members, and budget issues are made by a two-thirds vote. For other issues, a simple majority vote is sufficient. Sessions of the General Assembly usually take place in September each year. Each time a new chairman, 21 vice-chairmen, and chairmen of the six main committees of the Assembly are elected. The first committee deals with issues of disarmament and international security, the second with economics and finance, the third with social and humanitarian issues, the fourth with special political issues and decolonization, the fifth with administrative and budgetary issues, and the sixth with legal issues. The post of Chairman of the Assembly is occupied in turn by representatives of African, Asian, Eastern European, Latin American (including the Caribbean), and Western European states. The decisions of the GA are not legally binding. They express world public opinion on a particular issue.
Security Council(Security Council) is responsible for maintaining international peace. It investigates and recommends methods for resolving disputes, including urging UN members to use economic sanctions to prevent aggression; takes military action against the aggressor; plans arms regulation; recommends the admission of new members; provides guardianship in strategic areas. The Council consists of five permanent members - China, France, the Russian Federation (successor to the USSR), Great Britain and the United States of America - and ten members elected by the General Assembly for two-year terms. A decision on procedural issues is considered adopted if at least 9 out of 15 votes (two thirds) vote for it. When voting on issues of substance, it is necessary that out of 9 votes, all five permanent members of the Security Council vote in favor - the rule of “unanimity of the great powers”.
If a permanent member does not agree with the decision, he can veto (ban). If a permanent member does not want to block a decision, she can abstain from voting.
Economic and Social Council coordinates related issues and specialized agencies and institutions, known as the “family” of UN agencies. These bodies are connected with the UN by special agreements and submit reports to the Economic and Social Council and (or) the General Assembly.
The ECOSOC subsidiary mechanism includes:
- nine functional commissions (Commission for Social Development, etc.);
- five regional commissions (Economic Commission for Africa, etc.);
- four standing committees: Committee on Program and Coordination, Commission on Human Settlements, Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations, Committee on Negotiations with Intergovernmental Organizations;
- a number of expert bodies;
- executive committees and councils of various UN bodies: UN Development Program, World Food Program, etc.
Guardianship Council monitors the trust territories and promotes the development of their self-government. The Council consists of five permanent members of the Security Council. In 1994, the Security Council terminated the Trusteeship Agreement as all 11 original trust territories gained political independence or joined neighboring states.
International Court, located in The Hague (Netherlands), resolves legal disputes between states that are parties to its Statute, which automatically includes all members of the UN. Private individuals cannot appeal to the International Court of Justice. According to the Statute (statute of rights and duties), the Court uses international conventions; international custom as evidence of general practice; general principles of law recognized by nations; court decisions of the most qualified specialists from different countries. The court consists of 15 judges elected by the General Assembly and the Security Council, who vote independently. They are elected on the basis of qualifications, not citizenship. There cannot be two citizens from the same country on the Court.
UN Secretariat has the most diverse functions. This is a permanent body that carries out all document flow, including translations from one language to another, organizing international conferences, communicating with the press, etc. The Secretariat staff consists of about 9,000 people from around the world. The UN Secretary-General, the chief administrative officer, is appointed by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council for a five-year term and may be re-elected for a further term. Kofi Annan (Ghana) took office on January 1, 1997. On January 1, 2007, a new Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon (former head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of South Korea), took office. He spoke out in favor of reforming the UN for the sake of the future of this organization. The authority of the Secretary-General is very essential for the implementation of preventive diplomacy in order to prevent the emergence of international conflicts. All Secretariat personnel have the status of international civil servants and take an oath undertaking not to carry out instructions emanating from any state or organization other than the UN.
UN budget
The regular budget of the UN, excluding specialized agencies and UN programs, is approved by the GA for a two-year period. The main source of funds is contributions from member states, which are calculated based on the country's solvency, in particular according to criteria such as share in and per country. The scale of assessment of contributions established by the Assembly is subject to change from 25% of the budget to 0.001%. Share contributions to the budget are: USA - 25%, Japan - 18%, Germany - 9.6%, France - 6.5%, Italy - 5.4%, UK - 5.1%, RF - 2.9% , Spain - 2.6%, Ukraine - 1.7%, China - 0.9%. States that are not members of the UN, but participate in a number of its activities, can participate in UN expenses in the following ratio: Switzerland - 1.2%, Vatican - 0.001%. The revenue side of the budget fluctuates on average around $2.5 billion. Of the 13 expenditure items, more than 50% of expenditures are for General Policy Implementation, Direction and Coordination; general support and support service; regional cooperation for development.
UN programs
However, the UN “family” or the UN system of agencies is broader. It covers 15 institutions and several programs and bodies. These are the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), as well as such a specialized organization as the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). These bodies are connected with the UN by special agreements and submit reports to the Economic and Social Council and (or) the General Assembly. They have their own budgets and governing bodies.
UNCTAD
UN Conference on Trade and Development(UNCTAD). It was established in 1964 as the main GA body on these issues, primarily to accelerate trade and economic development, which, having gained political independence, have significant problems in establishing themselves in world markets. UNCTAD has 188 member states. The Russian Federation and other countries are members of this organization. The annual operating budget, financed from the UN regular budget, is approximately $50 million. The headquarters is located in Geneva (Switzerland).
Organizational structure of UNCTAD
UNCTAD Conference- the highest governing body. Conference sessions are held every four years at the ministerial level to determine the main directions of work.
Trade and Development Council— an executive body that ensures continuity of work between sessions. Working groups on medium-term planning and financing of programs. Joint Consultative Group on the Activities of the UNCTAD-WTO International Trade Centre.
Standing committees and temporary working groups. Four standing committees were created: on commodities; on poverty reduction; on economic cooperation between developed countries; Development Committee, as well as the Select Committee on Preferences and the Intergovernmental Panel on Restrictive Business Practices.
Secretariat is part of the UN Secretariat. It includes policy coordination and external relations services, nine departments(commodities, services development and trade efficiency, economic cooperation among developing countries and special programs, global interdependence, and science and technology, least developed countries, program management and support services) and integrated units working with regional commissions. The Secretariat serves two subsidiary bodies of ECOSOC— Commission on International Investment and Transnational Corporations and Commission on Science and Technology for Development.
Under the auspices of UNCTAD, a number of international commodity agreements have been concluded, study groups on commodities have been created with the participation of producing and consuming countries, a Common Fund for Commodities has been established, and dozens of conventions and agreements have been signed.
From 14 to 18 July 2004, the XIth session of the UNCTAD Conference was held in Sao Paulo (Brazil) - “Increasing coherence between national strategies and global economic processes for the benefit of developing countries in particular.” showed their desire for full participation in international trade and self-reliance, including through the expansion of South-South trade. Consolidation on the issue of agricultural subsidies used by developed countries allowed the Group of 77 to express their joint position at the 6th WTO Conference. UNCTAD uses a group principle of work: member states are divided into groups according to socio-economic and geographical principles. Developing countries are united in the Group of 77. As a result of the XI session, a document was adopted - the “Consensus of Sao Paulo”, aimed at promoting the adaptation of national development strategies to the conditions of globalization and strengthening the potential of developing countries. The 3rd round of trade negotiations was announced under the auspices of UNCTAD under the Global System of Trade Preferences (GSTP), which has been in place since 1971. This system provides for the reduction or elimination of customs duties by all industrialized countries (IDCs) on trade with developing countries by on a non-reciprocal basis, i.e. without the requirement of reciprocal trade and political concessions. In practice, many industrialized countries have achieved various exemptions from their preference schemes. However, the Global System of Trade Preferences promotes the expansion of exports of processed products from economically weak countries.
Independent UN agencies
Independent specialized agencies operating within the UN system include International Labor Organization(ILO), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), (IMF), World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), etc.
The growing gap between poor and rich countries, the increasing danger of global conflicts (the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 in the USA) stimulate the search for solutions to the problems of regulation and financing of development around the world. In this context two forums were held under the auspices of the UN in 2002: World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg (South Africa) - from August 26 to September 4 and the International Conference on Financing for Development in Monterrey (Mexico) - from March 18 to 22. As a result of the meetings, the Johannesburg Declaration and the Monterrey Consensus were adopted, respectively. At a meeting in South Africa special emphasis was placed on collective responsibility for socio-economic development, ecology at all levels from local to global. The need for cooperation in areas such as water supply and sanitation, energy, health, agriculture and biodiversity was noted. In Mexico, the problem of sustainable development of the world was considered from the point of view of its financing. It is recognized that there are severe shortages of resources needed to achieve the goals of overcoming poverty and inequality set out in the UN Millennium Declaration. Methods for solving the problem corresponding to the liberal idea of development are proposed:
Mobilization of national financial resources of developing countries through improved efficiency and consistency and fight against corruption at all levels.
Mobilization of international resources, including (FDI) and other private resources.
- the most important and often the only external source of development financing. It is recognized that there are serious trade imbalances caused by export subsidies from industrialized countries and the abuse of anti-dumping, technical, sanitary and phytosanitary measures. Developing countries (DCs) and countries with economies in transition (ETCs) are concerned about tariff spikes and tariff escalation by industrialized countries (IDCs). It is recognized that it is necessary to include effective and functional provisions for Special and Differential Treatment for developing countries in trade agreements.
Increased international financial and technical cooperation for development means an increase in official development assistance (ODA). The Conference called on the DSP to make concrete efforts to achieve the target of 0.7% of ODA to developing countries and 0.15-0.2% of their GNP from developed countries to least developed countries.
It is an element of resource mobilization for public and private investment. It is recognized that debtors and creditors must share responsibility for preventing and resolving situations involving unsustainable levels of debt.
Improvement global economic governance systems involves expanding the circle of participants in the decision-making process on development issues and eliminating organizational gaps. It is necessary to strengthen the involvement of developing countries and countries with economies in transition in the decision-making process in the Bank for International Settlements, the Basel Committee and the Financial Stability Forum
Critics of the Monterrey Consensus point out that, as in the case of the Washington Consensus, developed countries proceed from a liberal model of development and emphasize the need to find resources for development within developing countries and with the help of the private sector. Developed countries themselves do not make any clear commitments regarding the redistribution of resources. Accordingly, it is almost impossible to bridge the gap between poverty and wealth.
The issue of fair representation in the Security Council and the expansion of its composition, which was brought up for discussion by the UN General Assembly, was not resolved.
The Russian position is to support any expansion option, subject to broad agreement between all interested countries.
Thus, there are several mutually exclusive approaches to reforming the UN Security Council, which implies an indefinite duration of the transformation process.