The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted a “Pact for the Future” which calls for the expansion of the UNSC, to make the body more representative of the 21st century.

About “Pact for the Future”

• Pact for the Future: A “landmark declaration” adopted by the UNGA to enhance global governance, accelerate sustainable development, and address key international issues.
• Objective: To make the UN more relevant and effective in the 21st century, addressing criticisms of the organisation’s failure to prevent conflicts and enforce accountability.

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Key Components 

• Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): The pact reaffirms commitment to speeding up progress towards achieving the SDGs and the Paris Climate Agreement.
• Human Rights and Gender Equality: Strengthens commitments to human rights, with a focus on women’s rights and protection of vulnerable populations during humanitarian crises.
• Conflict Resolution and Peacekeeping: Calls for reviewing UN peacekeeping operations and addressing the root causes of conflicts.
• Disarmament: Promises to revitalise efforts toward nuclear and biological weapons disarmament, though details remain rhetorical.
• Digital and Future Generations:
  • Global Digital Impact: Focuses on regulating artificial intelligence (AI).
  • Declaration on Future Generations: Aims to secure the well-being of future generations by aligning national and international decision-making accordingly.

Challenges and Criticisms

• Lofty Goals, Thin Implementation Plans: The pact outlines ambitious objectives (e.g., ending hunger, achieving gender equality, protecting the environment) but lacks clear, actionable steps for implementation.
• Security Council Reforms: Pledges to address historical injustices against Africa and improve representation for Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the Caribbean in the UNSC. 
  • However, no specific roadmap is provided for speeding up reforms.
• Financial Architecture: Calls for reform of international financial systems and responses to global shocks, but concrete steps are missing.

Opposition

• Countries in Opposition: Russia, Iran, North Korea, Belarus, Syria, and Nicaragua opposed the pact, citing concerns over national sovereignty and the influence of external entities on domestic affairs.
• Amendments: Russia proposed amendments to assert intergovernmental decision-making and to prevent UN intervention in domestic matters, which were rejected by the majority of UN members.

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About United Nations Security Council

The United Nations Security Council, established under the UN Charter in 1945, constitutes one of the UN’s six principal organs.

• First Session: It held its first session on 17th January 1946 in Westminster, London.
• Headquarters: New York City
• Mandate: It has primary responsibility, under the UN Charter, for the maintenance of international peace and security.
• Members: Comprising 15 members, it includes 5 permanent members (P5) and 10 non-permanent members elected for two-year terms.
  • Permanent members: They are the United States, Russian Federation, France, China, and the United Kingdom.
  • 10 non-permanent Members:  Seats are distributed on a regional basis:
    • Five for African and Asian States
    • One for Eastern European States
    • Two for the Latin American and Caribbean States
    • Two for Western European and other States
  • An informal understanding reserves one seat for an Arab country in the Africa-Asia group.

• Decision Making:  Decisions of the Security Council are binding
  • Majority: It must only be passed by a majority of nine out of the 15 members, as well as each of the five permanent members.
• “Veto power”: It refers to the power of the permanent member to veto (Reject) any resolution of the Security Council.
  • Criticism:  The unconditional veto possessed by the five governments has been seen as the most undemocratic character of the UN.
    • Critics also claim that veto power is the main cause for international inaction on war crimes and crimes against humanity.
  • Supporters of the Veto Power: They regard it as a promoter of international stability, a check against military interventions, and a critical safeguard against U.S. domination.
• Chapter VI of the UN Charter: When the Security Council considers a threat to international peace, it first explores ways to settle the dispute peacefully under Chapter VI 
• Chapter VII of the Charter: Council can also take measures to enforce its decisions.
  • It can impose economic sanctions or order an arms embargo. 
  • On rare occasions, the Security Council has authorised member states to use all necessary means, including collective military action, to see that its decisions are carried out.

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