PRINCIPAL ORGANS OF THE UNITED NATIONS

1. WHAT ARE THE PRINCIPAL ORGANS OF THE UNITED NATIONS?

The six principal organs of the United Nations are as follows:

(1) The General Assembly

(2) The Security Council

(3) The Economic and Social Council

(4) The Trusteeship Council

(5) The International Court Justice

(6) The Secretariat

There are also subsidiary organs which the Charter itself has created or which it allows to be created whenever necessary by the General Assembly, the Security Council or the Economic and Social Council.

2. WHAT IS THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY?

The General Assembly is the central organ of the United Nations. All members are represented in it and it exercises powers and functions with respect to the other organs. It is the principal deliberative body of the organization and is vested with jurisdiction over matters concerning the internal machinery and operations of the United Nations.

The current President of the 62nd session of the United Nations General Assembly is DR. SRGJAN KERIM. He is a seasoned diplomat, economist, scholar and businessman with a wealth of experience in international political and economic affairs and extensive knowledge of the United Nations.

COMPOSITION :

The General Assembly consists of all the members of the United Nations, each of which is entitled to send no more than five delegates and five alternates and as many technical and other personnel as it may need.

Though they have multiple delegates, however, each delegation is entitled to only one vote in the decisions to made by the General Assembly.

SESSIONS:

Regular sessions are held every year beginning the 3rd Tuesday of September.

Special sessions may be called at the request of the Security Council, majority of the member states, or one member with the concurrence of the majority.

VOTING RULES:

Each member of the United Nations has one vote in the General Assembly.

"IMPORTANT QUESTIONS" which include recommendations concerning international peace and security, election of members of the Councils, admission and expulsion of members and suspension of the rights and privileges of membership questions relating to the trusteeship system and budgetary matters are decided by two-thirds of those present and voting. All other matters, including the determination of whether a question is important or not, are decided by simple majority of those present and voting.

FUNCTIONS:

(1) DELIBERATIVE. The General Assembly is empowered to discuss principles regarding the maintenance of international peace and security and may take appropriate measures toward this end.

(2) SUPERVISORY. It receives and considers reports from the other organs of the United Nations, makes recommendations, approves agreements, supervises and administer it.

(3) ELECTIVE. Important voting functions are also vested in the General Assembly, such as election of members in the other organs of United Nations.

(4) BUDGETARY. It is also the General Assembly that controls the finances of the United nations, approves budget and apportions expenses among the members.

(5) CONSTITUENT. The General Assembly also participates in the admission of members and in the amendment of the U. N. Charter

3. WHAT IS THE SECURITY COUNCIL?

It is the organ of the United nations primarily responsible for the maintenance of international peace and security. This resposibility makes the Security Council a key influence in the direction of the affairs not only of the Organization but the entire international community as well.

COMPOSITION:

The Security Council is composed of fifteen members, five of which are permanent. The so-called Big Five are China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States. The other ten members are elected for two-year terms by the General assembly, five from the African and Asian states, one from Eastern European states, two from Latin American states and two from Western European and other states. Their terms have been so staggered as to provide for the retirement of one-half of the every year. These members are not eligible for immediate re-election.

Chairmanship of the Security Council is rotated monthly on the basis of the English alphabetical order of the names of the members.

SESSIONS:

The Security Council is required to function continuously and to hold itself in readiness in case of threat to or actual breach of international peace. For this purpose, all members should be represented at all times at the seat of the Organization.

VOTING RULES: (YALTA VOTING FORMULA)

Each member of the Security Council has one vote, but distinction is made between the permanent and the non-permanent members in the decisions of substantive questions.
According to Yalta voting formula, as it is called, decision on procedural matters is to be made by the affirmative vote of any nine members of the Security Council. Decision on non-procedural or substantive matters, on the other hand, requires concurrence of also nine members of the body, but including all the permanent members.

4. WHAT IS THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL?
Recognizing that the promotion “of social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom “ is indispensable to world harmony and order, the United Nations Charter has created an organ charged with the particular duty of pursuing this objective. This is the Economic and Social Council.

COMPOSITION:
The Economic and Social Council has fifty-four members elected by the General Assembly for the staggered term of three years, with the right to run for re-election.

SESSIONS:
The Economic and Social Council normally holds two sessions a year, one beginning in January and the other in June. It may also meet in special session at the request of a majority of its members.

VOTING RULES:
Each member of the Economic and Social Council has one vote, and decisions are reached by majority of those present and voting.

5. WHAT IS THE TRUSTEESHIP COUNCIL?
It is the principal organ of the United Nations which is directly charged with the administration of the international trusteeship system.

COMPOSITION:
The Trusteeship Council is composed of: a) members of the United Nations administering trust territories; b) members of the Big Five not administering trust territories; and c) as many members of the United Nations elected for three-year terms by the General Assembly as may be necessary to insure that the total membership of the Council is equally divided between those which administer trust territories and those which do not.

SESSIONS:
It meets twice a year, generally in January and June. It may also meet in special session upon request or with concurrence of the majority of the members of the Trusteeship council.

VOTING RULES:
Each member of the Trusteeship Council has one vote and decisions are reached by majority of those present and voting.

6. WHAT IS THE INTERNATIONAL COURT JUSTICE?
It is the judicial organ of the United Nations and replaced the Permanent Court of International Justice under the defunct League of Nations.

COMPOSITION:
The Court is composed of fifteen members who must be of high moral character and possess the qualifications required in their respective countries for appointment to the highest judicial office or are jurisconsults of recognized competence in international law.

TERM OF OFFICE OF THE JUDGES:
They are elected for the term of nine years, staggered at three year intervals by dividing the judges first elected into three equal groups and assigning them by lottery terms of three, six and nine years respectively. Immediate re-election is allowed.

SESSIONS:
The Court shall remain permanently in session at the Hague or elsewhere, as it may decide, except during the judicial vacations the dates and duration of which shall fix.

VOTING RULES:
All questions before the Court are decided by a majority of the judges present, the quorum being nine when it is sitting en banc. In case of tie, the President or his substitute shall have a casting vote.

7. WHAT IS THE SECRETARIAT?
The Chief administrative organ of the United Nations is the Secretariat, which is headed by the Secretary General. The Secretary-General is chosen by the General Assembly upon recommendation of the Security Council. His term is fixed at five years by resolution of the General Assembly, and he may be re-elected.