The United Nations (UN) is an international organization founded in 1945, after the Second World War, to promote peace and cooperation among nations. One of its six principal organs is the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), which primarily works to maintain international peace and security. The Council’s headquarters are located in New York.
The United Nations structure comprises five other organs – the General Assembly (UNGA), the Trusteeship Council, the Economic and Social Council, the International Court of Justice, and the Secretariat. This article will focus on the operations and issues surrounding the UNSC.
New Members of the UNSC
The UNSC recently welcomed five new non-permanent members – Albania, Brazil, Gabon, Ghana, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). These countries replace Estonia, Niger, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Tunisia, and Vietnam, whose terms have recently ended. Notably, Albania is a first-time member of the council, while Brazil is serving an 11th term. Gabon and Ghana have previously served three times each, and the UAE once. It is worth mentioning that over 50 of the UN’s 193 member countries have never been elected to the council since its inception.
Compilation and Functioning of the UNSC
Membership of the UNSC consists of fifteen countries, five of which are permanent members: the United States, the Russian Federation, France, China, and the United Kingdom. The remaining ten non-permanent members serve two-year terms. These non-permanent positions are distributed regionally, with five new members elected annually by the General Assembly.
Voting within the UNSC is organised based on one vote per member, with decisions reached via an affirmative vote of nine members, including the concurring votes of all permanent members. Importantly, a “No” vote from a permanent member effectively blocks the passage of a resolution.
The Role of India in the UNSC
Historically, India has been an active participant in the UNSC, serving eight times as a non-permanent member, most recently for the term 2021-22. The country played a significant role in formulating the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) in 1947-48 and has championed multiple issues within the council, including the admission of former colonies and addressing conflicts in the Middle East and Africa.
India’s significant contributions to UN peacekeeping missions, along with its sizeable population, territorial extent, economic potential, cultural diversity, and political system, make the case for its permanent membership in the UNSC completely rational.
Issues Associated with the Functioning of the UNSC
Despite the UNSC’s importance in maintaining international peace and security, it faces several challenges. A lack of transparency, with no records kept of its meetings and no text provided for discussion, amendment, or objection, is a significant issue. The veto powers wielded by the five permanent members have become increasingly anachronistic and hinder dealing with evolving challenges to human security and peace.
Moreover, divisions among the P5 often block crucial decisions, with a deep polarization existing within the UN’s membership. This division was starkly illustrated with the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, where the UNSC proved ineffective in helping nations combat the virus’s spread.
Additionally, the absence of globally important countries like India, Germany, Brazil, and South Africa within the UNSC is a matter of concern, underscoring the council’s underrepresentation.
Moving Forward: Reforms Needed in the UNSC
To address these issues, the UNSC needs to undergo crucial reforms, including expanding the number of permanent and non-permanent seats, which would help better address complex global challenges. As a current non-permanent member, India could lead this change by drafting a resolution proposing comprehensive reform measures for the UNSC.
To push this reform forward, India can approach other like-minded countries and gradually expand its circle of support until it attains sufficient backing to propose the resolution to the entire UNGA with a realistic chance of winning the vote. This move represents an opportunity to restructure the UNSC and correct power imbalances, allowing the council to more effectively fulfil its mandate of maintaining international peace and security.
