United Nations: Structure, Purposes, and Principles

United Nations

The United Nations, a peace project succeeding the League of Nations, was founded in 1945. Fifty-one original members signed the UN Charter in 1945 or participated in the 1942 San Francisco conference where the Charter was drafted.

Security Council

The UN Security Council has five permanent members: China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the USA. Other admitted members must agree to the following terms:

• Be a state
• Be peace-loving
• Accept the obligations
• Be able to fulfill the obligations
• Be willing to fulfill the obligations

The Security Council's main task is to maintain international peace and security. It has 15 total members, including 10 non-permanent members.

Organs

The UN has six main organs, one of which is now non-functional.

• General Assembly

  • Discusses the UN Charter
  • Makes recommendations to UN members

  Secretary-General: Ban Ki-moon

• Security Council

  • May be requested by the General Assembly to perform assigned tasks
  • Can address issues independently of the General Assembly

• Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)

  Responsible for economic and social relations; comprises 54 countries.

• Trusteeship Council

  Now non-functional, its role was to address issues related to colonized countries.

• Secretariat

  • Handles UN paperwork, including financial, legal, and meeting summaries
  • Employs diplomats

• International Court of Justice

  Responsible for international law and the international court.

Purposes

The UN has four main purposes:

• Maintain international peace and security
• Foster friendly relations between countries
• Promote cooperation in solving international conflicts
• Harmonize the actions of nations to achieve these common ends

Principles

The UN operates on seven principles:

• Respect each country's sovereignty
• Uphold self-determination
• Act in good faith for the collective good
• Settle disputes by peaceful means, avoiding violence
• Refrain from the use of force in international relations
• Member states should assist the UN in actions aligned with the UN Charter and international law
• The UN Charter applies to all states, regardless of membership, both domestically and internationally

The UN does not intervene in domestic matters unless related to Chapter VII of the Charter.