The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN), charged with ensuring international peace and security, accepting new members to the United Nations and approving any changes to its charter. Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations and international sanctions as well as the authorization of military actions through resolutions – it is the only body of the United Nations with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states. The council held its first session on 17 January 1946.
A United Nations Security Council resolution is a UN resolution adopted by the fifteen members of the Security Council; the UN body charged with "primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security".
A United Nations resolution is a formal text adopted by a United Nations (UN) body. Although any UN body can issue resolutions, in practice most resolutions are issued by the Security Council or the General Assembly.
The United Nations Security Council "veto power" refers to the power of the permanent members of the UN Security Council to veto any "substantive" resolution. A permanent member's abstention or absence does not prevent a draft resolution from being adopted. This veto power does not apply to "procedural" votes, as determined by the permanent members themselves. A permanent member can also block the selection of a Secretary-General, although a formal veto is unnecessary since the vote is taken behind closed doors.
Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter sets out the UN Security Council's powers to maintain peace. It allows the Council to "determine the existence of any threat to the peace, breach of the peace, or act of aggression" and to take military and nonmilitary action to "restore international peace and security".
The United Nations Regional Groups are the geopolitical regional groups of the Member States of the United Nations. Originally, United Nations Member States were unofficially grouped into five geopolitical regional groups. However, what began as an informal means of sharing the distribution of posts for United Nations bodies quickly took on a much more expansive role. Depending on the context, the regional groups control elections to United Nations-related positions, on the basis of geographic representation, as well as coordinate substantive policy, and form common fronts for negotiations and voting.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to the United Nations:
United Nations Security Council Resolution 402, adopted on December 22, 1976, after hearing from the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Lesotho, the Council expressed concern at South Africa's decision to close the border with Lesotho in many areas in an attempt to pressure the country to recognise the "independence" of the bantustan Transkei. After recalling previous resolutions, the Council praised Lesotho for not recognising Transkei and stated it will organise economic assistance to the country from the organisation itself and other countries to help it overcome the blockade by South Africa.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 402, adopted on May 25, 1977, after recalling Resolution 402 (1976), the Council noted with concern the continued harassment of the people of Lesotho by South Africa in violation of the resolution. It also recognised the burden that had been placed upon Lesotho with regard to its decision not to recognise the "independent" bantustan Transkei by South Africa.
United Nations Security Council resolution 527, adopted unanimously on 15 December 1982, having heard representations from Moshoeshoe II of Lesotho, the Council condemned, alongside a General Assembly resolution, an attack by South Africa on Lesotho, resulting in damage and the deaths of 40 people.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 535, adopted unanimously on June 29, 1983, after examining the report of the Mission to Lesotho commissioned in Resolution 527 (1982), the Council reaffirmed its opposition to apartheid, commending Lesotho for providing sanctuary to refugees from South Africa.
United Nations Security Council resolution 580, adopted unanimously on 30 December 1985, having heard representations from Lesotho and recalling Resolution 527 (1982), the Council condemned the recent attacks on the Kingdom of Lesotho by South Africa, resulting in loss of life and damage to property on 19 December, in which several South African refugees were murdered in Lesotho's capital Maseru by the South African Defence Force.
United Nations Security Council resolution 1347, adopted unanimously on 30 March 2001, after recalling resolutions 955 (1994), 1165 (1998) and 1329 (2000), the Council forwarded a list of nominees for permanent judges at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) to the General Assembly for consideration.
United Nations Security Council resolution 1449, adopted unanimously on 13 December 2002, after recalling resolutions 955 (1994), 1165 (1998), 1329 (2000), 1411 (2002) and 1431 (2002), the Council forwarded a list of nominees for permanent judges at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) to the General Assembly for consideration.
United Nations Security Council resolution 1482, adopted unanimously on 19 May 2003, after noting correspondence between the President of the Security Council, President of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) and President of the International Criminal Court, the Council extended the terms of office of four permanent judges at the ICTR in order to allow them to dispose of a number of ongoing cases.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 2016 was unanimously adopted on 27 October 2011. Recognizing the "positive developments" in Libya after the Libyan Civil War and the death of Muammar Gaddafi, the resolution set a date of termination for the provisions of Security Council Resolution 1973 which allowed states to undertake "all necessary measures" to protect civilians and which formed the legal basis for military intervention by a number of foreign states. The termination date was set at 23:59, Libyan local time on 31 October 2011. The no-fly zone created with Resolution 1973 was also lifted on that date.
The United Nations Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS) is a United Nations peacekeeping mission in Syria, set up in 2012 as a result of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2043 in response to the Syrian Civil War. It was commanded by Norwegian major general Robert Mood until 20 July 2012 followed by Lieutenant General Babacar Gaye from Senegal. Although observers remain in the country, Mood suspended their mission on June 16, 2012 citing "escalating violence." Observers will conduct no further patrols and stay in their current positions until the suspension is lifted. On 20 July 2012, the Security Council extended UNSMIS for a final period of 30 days. According to resolution 2059, the Council would only consider more extensions in the event that the Secretary-General reports and the Security Council confirms the cessation of the use of heavy weapons and a reduction in the level of violence sufficient by all sides to allow UNSMIS to implement its mandate.
