United Nations Security Council

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is a body of the United Nations (UN). It was created in the charter of the UN at the end of World War II. It is tasked with maintaining international peace and security. The charter grants the UN Security Council some powers, such as mediating between parties and investigating claims. The council can also impose economic sanctions on nations and may send in armed forces to enforce decisions and maintain peace.

The UNSC has been involved in negotiating a number of conflicts around the world. Its peacekeeping missions have included protecting refugees, ensuring free and fair elections, and protecting volunteers and aid workers.

Background

The United Nations was formed following World War II to replace the League of Nations. The League of Nations was established with the Treaty of Versailles at the end of World War I to allow nations to negotiate differences rather than resort to war. The League of Nations, which had fifty-eight nations as members, included an assembly, which met annually; a council, which met frequently to address concerns; a secretariat for managing paperwork; a Court of International Justice; and several committees. The organization had the power to offer arbitration and apply trade sanctions to countries at war, but it failed for several reasons. Some influential countries—including Germany, Russia, and the United States—were not members, and decisions had to be unanimous.

The League of Nations failed to avert World War II, and the United Nations was formed in 1945 following the defeat of Germany. Representatives of fifty countries signed the United Nations charter in June, and it was ratified by the majority of signatories in October, weeks after Japan formally surrendered. All members pledged, among other things, to attempt to settle differences peacefully.

The charter also established the UN Security Council, which consisted of eleven members of the UN: five permanent members and six elected members. (In 1965, the rule was changed to allow ten temporary members: five Asian or African members, two Latin American members, two members from Western Europe or other regions, and one Eastern European member.) The charter defines the Security Council's functions in maintaining international peace and security.

The council's powers include bringing parties of a dispute to the table for discussion, negotiation, mediation, arbitration, and judicial settlement, as well as investigating any disagreement that threatens international peace. The council may make recommendations and refer parties to the International Court of Justice. It may also suggest economic sanctions, severance of diplomatic ties, and disruption of communications and transportation. The council may also intervene to create conditions conducive to peace.

Members of the UN were required to make armed forces available when necessary to maintain peace and security. The Security Council was granted the power to order armed forces of members of the United Nations to conduct peacekeeping operations.

Members of the council draft resolutions, which may be changed during negotiations with other members. They then vote on it and present the resolution formally to council for a full vote. Permanent members may veto a resolution, in which case it does not pass.

Since its inception, the UN Security Council has been involved in more than seventy peacekeeping missions throughout Africa, Asia, Central and South America, Europe, and the Middle East. However, some observers have questioned the continued relevance and impact of the council. In 2002, US President George W. Bush lobbied the UNSC to put pressure on Iraq. The council passed Resolution 1441, which demanded that Iraq disarm and allow weapons inspectors to investigate. When the United States went to war without the unanimous support of the UNSC, the council's effectiveness in resolving international disputes was called into question.

Topic Today

The UN Security Council's peacekeeping mission faces numerous challenges, including children in conflict; civil affairs; conduct and discipline; disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration; electoral assistance; environment and sustainability; gender and human rights; protection of civilians; and security sector reform. Peacekeeping missions of the twenty-first century have included efforts in Cyprus, Lebanon, Liberia, Haiti, Western Sahara, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Darfur. Some peacekeeping operations have been long-lasting, such as the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force, established in 1974 to maintain the ceasefire between Israel and Syria and continued into the 2020s. The scope of the UNSC's actions around the world has expanded with increased threats and issues. From peacekeeping to protecting the vulnerable, the council is active in many parts of the world.

One of the largest issues that arose during the 2010s was the Syrian conflict. What began as pro-democracy protests in Syria in 2011 soon led to a widespread humanitarian crisis. President Bashar al-Assad's forces killed a number of demonstrators, and opposition forces took up arms against the government. The country was soon involved in civil war. By the mid-2020s, an estimated 620,000 people had been killed. The UN Security Council has been involved in trying to reconcile the conflict and stop the bloodshed but has struggled to enforce its demands. Despite the insistence that civilians must be spared and protected, weapons, including barrel bombs and chemical weapons, were routinely fired in populated areas. Talks with the Syrian government repeatedly broke down despite the council's 2015 adoption of a road map for peace.

The Syrian conflict is largely responsible for a humanitarian crisis in the region that has affected many European countries. Millions of Syrians trying to escape the civil war became refugees, seeking refuge in Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, and across Europe. The UNSC has been involved in protecting refugees in many parts of the world.

The UNSC also works to protect children, for example, by deploying advisers to areas where militias have recruited children for military service. Peacekeepers assist in ensuring fair and democratic elections in the process of establishing legitimate leaders after a conflict. This may include a variety of tasks, including technical help and election monitoring. The council may also help by providing corrections, judicial, and police officers to help stabilize a security situation, with the goal of helping a nation rebuild its criminal justice system.

A number of nations became concerned about Iran's nuclear program, in particular its uranium enrichment program. Beginning in 2006, the UNSC adopted several resolutions. In response to Iran's refusal to comply, the council imposed import sanctions against Iran, froze the assets of some individuals, created a list of individuals who were forbidden to travel through member nations, and mandated inspections to monitor nuclear enrichment programs. Iran repeatedly refused to comply. In July 2015, the UN Security Council's Resolution 2231 was unanimously passed, endorsing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) for Iran's nuclear program. This included inspection intervals and plans to lift UN sanctions against the nation. However, in subsequent years, Iran repeatedly and openly defied the JCPOA.

The effectiveness of the UNSC was once again called into question upon the Russian invasion of Ukraine that began in February 2022. Despite an attempt to condemn the invasion shortly after it began, Russia's seat on the council allowed it to veto the condemnation that demanded the withdrawal of Russian troops to allow for humanitarian aid. Then, in May of that year, the UNSC released a unanimously agreed-upon statement that referred to the invasion as a "dispute" instead of a war and supported the pursuit of peace through diplomacy. Prior to the UNSC's statement, 141 countries voted in favor of a UN General Assembly resolution that outright condemned the invasion. Because of Russia's position as a permanent member of the UNSC with veto power, draft resolutions condemning and calling for an end to the military invasion were vetoed.

The UNSC's ability to respond to the war between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas in 2024 was also questioned. In April 2024, the United States used its veto power to block Palestine's bid to become a full member of the UN. In June 2024, the UNSC announced a comprehensive three-phase ceasefire deal. Although Hamas and Palestine accepted the terms of the agreement, Israel did not immediately reject or accept the deal. Efforts to provide aid in the region were lacking, and some called these efforts "watered-down support."

Secretary-General Guterres, UN General Assembly President Dennis Francis, and US President Biden have all emphasized the importance of UNSC reform.

Bibliography

"Charter of the United Nations and Statute of the International Court of Justice." United Nations, 1945, www.icj-cij.org/charter-of-the-united-nations. Accessed 2 Jan. 2025.

"History of the United Nations." United Nations, www.un.org/en/about-us/history-of-the-un. Accessed 2 Jan. 2025.

"Maintain International Peace and Security." United Nations, www.un.org/en/our-work/maintain-international-peace-and-security. Accessed 2 Jan. 2025.

"Resolution 2231 (2015) on Iran Nuclear Issue." United Nations Security Council, 2015, main.un.org/securitycouncil/en/content/2231/background. Accessed 2 Jan. 2025.

"Role of the Security Council." United Nations Peacekeeping, peacekeeping.un.org/en/role-of-security-council. Accessed 2 Jan. 2025.

"Security Council Unanimously Adopts Resolution 2254 (2015), Endorsing Road Map for Peace Process in Syria, Setting Timetable for Talks." United Nations, 18 Dec. 2015, www.un.org/press/en/2015/sc12171.doc.htm. Accessed 2 Jan. 2025.

"The UN Security Council." Council on Foreign Relations, 9 Sept. 2024, www.cfr.org/backgrounder/un-security-council#chapter-title-0-7. Accessed 2 Jan. 2025.

"UN Security Council – Profile." BBC, 24 Aug. 2017, www.bbc.com/news/world-11712448. Accessed 2 Jan. 2025.

"What Is the Security Council?" United Nations Foundation, main.un.org/securitycouncil/en/content/what-security-council. Accessed 2 Jan. 2025.