UN Security Council (UNSC)

Why in News?

• The UN General Assembly president has recently said the UN Security Council (UNSC) has become “paralysed” and “dysfunctional” in its “present form”, as it has not been able to take any decision since the Russia-Ukraine war started

Highlights

• The General Assembly has always been very much divided. Among the 193 countries, there are five negotiating groups and they are neutralising each other.
• The functioning of the General Assembly is as much important as the permanent members of the UNSC in ensuring reform of the United Nations system.
• The permanent members were “historically not enthusiastic” about reform of the UN system but they have all agreed that it is necessary for introducing changes in the Security Council.
• The UNSC was established by the UN Charter in 1945.
• It is one of the 6 principal organs of the United Nations.
• UNSC has 15 members: 5 permanent members (P5) and 10 non-permanent members elected for 2-year terms.
• The 5 permanent members are: United States, Russian Federation, France, China and the United Kingdom.
• India has served seven times in the UNSC as a non-permanent member and in January 2021, India entered the UNSC for the eighth time.