UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL

UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL

The Security Council was established by the UN Charter in 1945. It is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations. Its primary responsibility is to maintain international peace and security. It is the UN’s premier decision-making body, empowered to impose legally binding obligations on Member States.

Functions and Powers of UNSC

1. Peace and security: To maintain international peace and security in line with the principles and purposes of the United Nations.
2. Dispute related:
   • Investigate: To investigate any dispute or situation that might lead to international friction.
   • Solving disputes: To recommend methods for adjusting disputes or terms of settlement.
   • Brokering peace: The UNSC brokers peace by aiding parties in reaching an agreement through mediation, appointing special envoys, dispatching a UN Mission, or requesting the UN Secretary-General to settle disputes.
   • Mandates: It can also vote to extend, amend, or end mission mandates.
3. Against act of aggression or threat to peace:
   • Act of aggression: To determine if there is a threat to peace or an act of aggression and to recommend actions.
   • Action: To take military action against an aggressor.
   • Sanctions: To call on Members to apply economic sanctions and other measures not involving the use of force to prevent or stop aggression.
4. Membership: To recommend the admission of new Members.
5. Trusteeship function: To exercise the trusteeship functions of the United Nations in “strategic areas.”
6. Appointment:
   • Secretary General: To recommend to the General Assembly the appointment of the Secretary-General.
   • Judges of ICJ: Together with the Assembly, elect the Judges of the International Court of Justice.
7. Peace missions: UNSC oversees the work of UN peace operations through periodic reports from the Secretary-General and Council sessions. It alone can make decisions regarding these operations, which Member States are obligated to enforce.

Issues with UNSC

1. Issue of permanent membership in UNSC:
   • Concentration of powers: Out of 193 United Nations members, only 5 have permanent membership, leading to a concentration of power.
   • Reflection of bygone era: The UNSC’s membership and methods reflect a bygone era. Though geopolitics have drastically changed, the UNSC has changed little since 1945, when wartime victors awarded “permanent” veto-wielding seats to themselves.
   • Emergence of new powers: Initially, World War powers were given roles for Council functioning. Now, G4 nations (India, Brazil, Germany, Japan) demand a change as important and emerging global powers.
   • Serious Consequences: The UNSC’s authority to impose international sanctions and authorize military action through binding resolutions can have severe impacts on economies.
   • Veto Power: Granted only to the 5 permanent members, meaning one country’s objection can block UN responses to crises, even if supported by a majority.
   • Conflict of interest: Some permanent members (US, Russia, France) are arms exporters, leading to conflicts of interest that hinder disarmament and negatively impact global peace and security.

1. Issue with Regional representation:
   • Geographical representation:
     • Over-representation: Europe, with 30 countries, has 2 permanent seats (UK and France).
     • Under-representation: Asia, with 50 countries, has only 2 seats. Africa and South America have no representation, despite a significant amount of UN work in Africa.
   • Economic powers: Countries like Japan, Germany, India, and Brazil are not permanent members, which does not reflect current global realities.
   • Irrelevant representation: As the global economic and population centers shift to the Indo-Pacific, inadequate Asian representation and the absence of African and Latin American representation make the UN increasingly irrelevant.

1. Working of UNSC:
   • Opaque decision-making process: Permanent members meet privately before presenting resolutions to the full Council, leading to opacity in decision-making.
   • Inter-governmental negotiations framework: Identifying co-chairs for this framework has been “exceptionally” complex.
   • Peacekeeping forces: P-5 members mainly decide peacekeeping deployments, often in areas without representation in P-5. Similarly, logistical support is largely provided by developing countries without representation in P-5.
2. Issue of Veto power:
   • Rule of the few over the many: The veto power grants significant influence to the most powerful post-World War II states, allowing them considerable control over international policies through undemocratic mechanisms. ​​
   • Failed in its objectives: Competitive vetoing by P-5 countries has prevented the UNSC from fulfilling its collective security mandate.
   • Obstacle to reforms: It has also led to P-5 countries blocking reforms. For example, Russia has been against giving.
   • Non-permanent members as a toothless grouping: Since they cannot assert their will on matters of international concern, they can only persuade or dissuade other member states from acting in a particular way.

1. Other issues:
   • Failures to tackle crisis: The UNSC has failed to address recent crises in Syria, Gaza, and Ukraine, and the growing threat of terrorism has not been adequately dealt with.
   • Crisis of legitimacy and credibility: Long-pending reforms and narrow leadership challenge the Council’s credibility and effectiveness.
   • Lack of multilateralism: The Council’s lack of multilateralism has been criticized, particularly during the Syrian war crisis and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
   • Other alternatives: As highlighted by PM Modi, if nations like India are excluded from decision-making structures and genuine reforms are lacking, countries may look for alternative forums.
   • Global commons: Emerging issues such as transnational threats, cybercrimes, deepening economic interdependence, and environmental degradation call for effective multilateral negotiations based on consensus

Way forward:

• Transparency: There is a need to consider options for opening the process so others understand why current discussions fail to begin negotiating texts.
• Generating awareness: Nations must feel that their stakes in global peace and prosperity are included in the UN’s decision-making.
• Inclusive approach: An inclusive approach should be adopted based on transparent consultations.
• Against discriminatory rules: To ensure a renaissance of the UN, a global push against rules that privilege the few over the many is essential.
• Value-based position: To serve India’s interests and promote multilateralism and reforms, India should adopt value-based positions that are not transactional.

Keeping in step with a decolonizing world, restructuring the UN’s most important organ will serve as a significant reparation effort. UN reform holds potential for resolving armed conflicts and humanitarian crises, especially in the Middle East and Africa, and should not be stifled by a status quo bias. ​​