The United Nations Security Council

Daria Kirilenko

July 28, 2008

Mission
The Security Council is an organ of the United Nations the mission of which is to maintain international peace and security. Over the years it has taken a greater part in assisting peaceful settlements of disputes, overseeing U.N. peacekeeping forces and imposing sanctions on recalcitrant nations.

Structure
The Security Council has 15 member nations. Five permanent members, the principal victors of World War II, include China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States. The other 10 are nations elected for staggered two-year terms and are called non-permanent members. Each year non-permanent members are selected by the permanent five and the General Assembly. A privilege P-5 nations enjoy is veto power over any substantive decision of the Security Council.

History
The first meeting of the Security Council took place in Church House, London on January 17, 1946. In the course of its history, the Security Council has been expanded only once. In 1966, the Council increased its non-permanent membership from six to 10 countries. In 1971 the General Assembly ruled that the People’s Republic of China was to be the rightful representative of China, after having let the rump regime in Taiwan represent China in the Security Council since its expulsion from the mainland in 1949. Russia was allowed to succeed the Soviet Union in the Security Council after the Union’s break-up in 1991.

How it Works
The Security Council functions as a deliberative body. Though debate and voting take place at formal meetings, most decisions and negotiations are made behind closed doors. Meetings are chaired by the President, whose post is rotated on a monthly basis among the member countries. The Security Council has the power to make recommendations on the new Secretary General and other high officials on the U.N. Secretariat and on the admissions of new State members of United Nations. Together with the General Assembly it also elects judges to the International Court of Justice. Each member of the Security Council has one vote, but P-5 countries have the right to veto any substantive resolution.

Need for Reform
Members of the United Nations agree that the Security Council has long been in need of reform. The lack of transparency, unfair representation, and inefficiency due to size and the veto are deficiencies that proposals have set out to change.

For information on the Security Council Reform please click here