Hidden Story Channel

The United Nations Security Council’s primary responsibility is to maintain international peace and security.

Introduction to basic noteworthy contents of the United Nations Security and why it uses Twitter as an important communications tool.

Additionally, the rationale behind the need for a UN Security Council will be discussed.　

Summary of the United Nations Security Council

The United Nations Security Council has 15 members that each have one vote.

Under the UN Charter, all member states are defined as subject to the decisions of the Council.

The United Nations Security Council takes the initiative in determining threats of aggression against peace and is able to authorize the use of force to maintain security.

The specifics of The UN Security Council can be explained in four main ways:

• Role
• Tools for Conflict
• Sanctions
• Role in authorizing military force

The United Nations Security Council has seized the initiative in keeping the peace.

Role

The Security Council, operating under the Charter of the United Nations, has the role of maintaining international peace and security.

The United Nations Security Council responds to the safety crises occurring around the world and is capable of addressing the following scenarios :

• Whether or not a ceasefire is in place and the parties are committed to a peace process aimed at reaching a political settlement.
• Determining if clear political goals exist and are reflected in the mission.
• Ascertaining the possibility of the United Nations being able to formulate a precise mandate for its operations
• Concluding the feasibility of the safety and security of United Nations personnel by seeking reasonable assurances from involved political entities or factions.

Cases are responded to and addressed accordingly on a case by case basis.

Tools for Conflict Management

In accordance with Chapter VI of the United Nations Charter, The United Nations Security Council aims to resolve disputes and other conflicts peacefully.

The United Nations Security Council is authorized by the UN Guarantee Council to ask countries to seek solutions through peaceful means.

Should no resolution come to fruition, sanctions can be imposed and/or the use of force can be authorized.

The United Nations Security Council through conducting various peacekeeping missions is able to gather worldwide attention to highlight conflicts.

Sanctions

Sanctions are one of the most utilized conflict resolution tools in the United Nations Security Council’s arsenal. as stipulated under the provisions of Article 41 of the UN Charter.

Security Council sanctions can be enforced with a wide range of options that do not include the use of force.

Concerns that comprehensive economic measures would adversely affect the most vulnerable populations has been an ongoing concern, so the Security Council has continued to improve the formulation and implementation of sanctions since 2003.

Everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration can be fully realized.
Universal Declaration of Human Rights – United Nations

Role in authorizing military force

Under the UN Charter, members of the Security Council can only use military force for self-defense and with the approval of the Council.
Members of the United Nations Security Council’s Peacekeeping force are only to engage in the use of force under limited circumstances. These include:

• Consent of the parties
• Impartiality
• Non-use of force except in self-defense and defense of the mandate

The United Nations Security operates under the premise of acting when there is a threat to peace or an act of aggression and peaceful means of conflict have been exhausted.

Composition of the UN Security Council

The composition of the United Nations Security Council is divided into three types of members:

• Permanent Members of the United Nations Security Council
• Non-permanent members of the UN Security Council
• Non-parliamentary state

Having an understanding of the composition of the UN Security Council is an important factor in comprehending how it functions.

Permanent members of the United Nations Security Council

The following five countries have been given permanent seats on the UN Security Council.

• China
• France
• Russian Federation
• United Kingdom
• United States of America

Principally, only the permanent members of the Council are considered to be members of the Military Staff Committee.

Non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council

The non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council comprise of the following countries :

• Estonia
• India
• Ireland
• Kenya
• Mxico
• Niger
• Norway
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
• Tunisia
• Vietnam

Aforementioned countries are elected by the General Assembly for a two year term and cannot be re-elected consecutively.
More than half of the non-permanent members of the Council are elected every year.

Countries/Member States that have yet to be elected to the Non-permanent Council

Countries/member states that have not yet been elected as non-permanent members of the UN Security Council are those that have not been elected to the UN Security Council since it’s inception in 1945.

The following countries have never served as non-Permanent members of the Security Council.

• Afghanistan
• Albania
• Andora
• Antigua and Barbuda
• Armenia
• Bahamas
• Barbados
• Belize
• Bhutan
• Brunei Darussalam
• Cambodia
• Central African Republic
• Comoros
• Cyprus
• Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea)
• Dominican Republic
• El Salvador
• Eritrea
• Fiji
• Georgia
• Grenada
• Haiti
• Iceland
• Israel
• Kiribati
• Kyrgyzstan
• People’s Democratic Republic of Laos
• Latvia
• Lesotho
• Liechtenstein
• Malawi
• Maldives
• Marshall Islands
• Micronesia
• Monaco
• Mongolia
• Montenegro
• Mozambique
• Myanmar
• Nauru
• North Macedonia
• Palau
• Papua New Guinea
• Republic of Moldova
• Saint Kitts and Nevis
• Saint Lucia
• Samoa
• San Marino
• Sao Tome and Principe
• Serbia
• Seychelles
• Solomon Islands
• South Sudan
• Suriname
• Eswatini (Formerly Swaziland)
• Switzerland
• Tajikistan
• East Timor
• Tonga
• Turkmenistan
• Tuvalu
• Uzbekistan
• Vanuatu

The above countries are also members of the United Nations as of 2021.

The purpose of the United Nations Security Council’s Twitter feed

The United Nations Security Council’s Twitter feed serves the following purposes:

• Activity Report
• Bringing active problems into the spotlight

In line with the advancement of the digital age, the UN Security Council (via Twitter) is able to quickly disseminate information to a large audience.

Activity Report

Through an official Twitter account, the United Nations Security Council can make use of the easy access to a broad audience (in real time) to announce ongoing developments.

Accurate reporting on activities and gaining understanding and in the process gaining the public’s trust is a very important facet in maintaining international peace and security.

News reports are tweeted daily, so up-to-date information is readily available.

Bringing awareness to ongoing problems

Since the United Nations Security Council works to maintain and restore international peace and security, the purpose of using Twitter is to make people aware of international issues such as conflicts and ceasefires.

The dissemination of up-to-date information on new threats such as terrorism, can help people around the area to take appropriate measures.

All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights – United Nations

The Need for a United Nations Security Council

The United Nations Security Council is an indispensable force in matters related to maintaining international peace and security
Threats to peace can be dealt with appropriately through the following activities:

• Establishment of United Nations peacekeeping operations
• Recognition of multinational forces
• Promotion of measures on counter-terrorism and non-proliferation
• Determination and implementation of sanctions

However, as the basic structure of the United Nations Security Council has not changed since its establishment in 1945, countries that are now capable of and willing to assume responsibility for international peace must be included.

The ability to recognize and accept diversity is crucial in maintaining peace, therefore it is essential that the United Nations Security Council also change its basic structure to reflect such sentiment in order to have a truly global and effective reach.