The United NationsThe United Nations

What You Need to KnowWhat You Need to Know

Origin of the United NationsOrigin of the United Nations

• The United Nations was formed as a result of The United Nations was formed as a result of WWII. WWII.

• The charter was drawn up at the UN The charter was drawn up at the UN Conference on International Organization Conference on International Organization which was held in San Francisco from April 25which was held in San Francisco from April 25thth to July 26to July 26thth of 1945. of 1945.

• The United Nations officially came into The United Nations officially came into existence on 24 October 1945, when the existence on 24 October 1945, when the Charter was ratified by China, France, the Charter was ratified by China, France, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, the United Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, the United States and by a majority of other signatories. States and by a majority of other signatories.

Dumbarton Oaks Dumbarton Oaks ConferenceConference

• Basic principles for the UN charter Basic principles for the UN charter were worked out by China, France, were worked out by China, France, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom and the United Statesand the United States

• Took place between August and Took place between August and October of 1944October of 1944

UN CharterUN Charter

• Signed July 26, 1945Signed July 26, 1945

• Created the UNCreated the UN

• Signed by 50 countriesSigned by 50 countries

The UNThe UN

• Six OrgansSix Organs– General AssemblyGeneral Assembly– Security CouncilSecurity Council– ECOSOC (Economic and Social Council)ECOSOC (Economic and Social Council)– ICJ (International Court of Justice)ICJ (International Court of Justice)– The SecretariatThe Secretariat– The Trusteeship CouncilThe Trusteeship Council

General AssemblyGeneral Assembly

• The main deliberative body of the UNThe main deliberative body of the UN– 191 member states191 member states

• Has the power to debate any issue Has the power to debate any issue brought before itbrought before it

• Resolutions passed by GA have no Resolutions passed by GA have no legal binding forcelegal binding force

• Six committees to discuss different Six committees to discuss different issuesissues

Security CouncilSecurity Council

• 15 members15 members– 5 permanent (Big Five) and 10 non-5 permanent (Big Five) and 10 non-

permanent (2 year terms)permanent (2 year terms)

• Representatives must be present at UN Representatives must be present at UN HQ at all timesHQ at all times

• Only members can voteOnly members can vote

• Use sanctions, investigations, mediation, Use sanctions, investigations, mediation, and military action to solve issuesand military action to solve issues

ECOSOCECOSOC

• 54 member states (three year terms)54 member states (three year terms)

• Coordinates the economic and social Coordinates the economic and social related work of the UN and specialized related work of the UN and specialized agencies and organizationsagencies and organizations

• Focuses solely on issues of economic Focuses solely on issues of economic and social developmentand social development

• Work with NGOs (Non Governmental Work with NGOs (Non Governmental Organizations)Organizations)

International Court of JusticeInternational Court of Justice

• Located in The Hague, The NetherlandsLocated in The Hague, The Netherlands

• Principle legal organ of the UNPrinciple legal organ of the UN

• Settles legal disputes between statesSettles legal disputes between states

• Gives advice on legal questions to other Gives advice on legal questions to other UN organsUN organs

• 15 judges of different nationalities 15 judges of different nationalities elected to nine-year termselected to nine-year terms– Elected by GA and SCElected by GA and SC

SecretariatSecretariat

• Takes care of the everyday functions Takes care of the everyday functions to keep the UN runningto keep the UN running

• Headed by the Secretary GeneralHeaded by the Secretary General

Trusteeship CouncilTrusteeship Council

• Somewhat irrelevant nowSomewhat irrelevant now

• Meant to help Trust territories Meant to help Trust territories become independent nationsbecome independent nations

Secretary General Secretary General

• Current – Kofi Anan Current – Kofi Anan

• Chief Administrative officer of the Chief Administrative officer of the United NationsUnited Nations

• Head of the SecretariatHead of the Secretariat

Parliamentary ProcedureParliamentary Procedure

Basic Model U.N. Procedural Basic Model U.N. Procedural Rules to Follow While Rules to Follow While

Debating.Debating.

Motion to set speaker’s time.Motion to set speaker’s time.

• Use this motion to the speaker’s Use this motion to the speaker’s time. time.

• Requires a simple majority vote.Requires a simple majority vote.

Motion to open and close the Motion to open and close the speakers list.speakers list.

• Used to open the topic speaker’s list.Used to open the topic speaker’s list.

• Once there is no one on the list, the Once there is no one on the list, the speaker’s list is closed and the speaker’s list is closed and the committee moves into a voting committee moves into a voting procedure. procedure.

Point of InformationPoint of Information

• Used to clarify issues or rulesUsed to clarify issues or rules

Point of inquiryPoint of inquiry

• Used to ask a delegate a questionUsed to ask a delegate a question

Point of personal privilegePoint of personal privilege

• Used to bring the chairs attention to Used to bring the chairs attention to a personal need (bathroom, water, a personal need (bathroom, water, etc.)etc.)

Committee of the WholeCommittee of the Whole

• Used to call for an open group Used to call for an open group discussiondiscussion

• Can’t exceed 20 minutesCan’t exceed 20 minutes

• The chair has the power to rule this The chair has the power to rule this out of orderout of order

YieldsYields

• When a delegate gets finished When a delegate gets finished speaking, he/she may yield to speaking, he/she may yield to another delegate, the chair, or to any another delegate, the chair, or to any questions on the floor.questions on the floor.

The ChairThe Chair

• All decisions of the chair are final!All decisions of the chair are final!

Some important terms you Some important terms you should know before BUNshould know before BUN

Sovereign/SovereigntySovereign/Sovereignty

• The highest or supreme political The highest or supreme political authorityauthority

• Freedom from external controlFreedom from external control

• AutonomyAutonomy

• Controlling influenceControlling influence

Nationalism/PatriotismNationalism/Patriotism

• Love for or devotion to one’s countryLove for or devotion to one’s country

• National consciousness exalting one National consciousness exalting one nation above all others and placing nation above all others and placing primary emphasis on promotion of its primary emphasis on promotion of its culture and interests as opposed to culture and interests as opposed to those of other nations or those of other nations or supranational groupssupranational groups

NGO’s/IGO’sNGO’s/IGO’s

• Non-governmental organizations are Non-governmental organizations are privately owned and not-for-profit. privately owned and not-for-profit. They aid development in developing They aid development in developing nations. Some are affiliated with the UNnations. Some are affiliated with the UN

• Intergovernmental organizations are Intergovernmental organizations are any bodies that consist of two or more any bodies that consist of two or more member statesmember states

Infrastructure Infrastructure

• The structure that underlies and The structure that underlies and makes possible all economic activity makes possible all economic activity in a country.in a country.

• Schools, roads, railroads, buildings, Schools, roads, railroads, buildings, plumbing, power lines, telephones plumbing, power lines, telephones lines, etc.lines, etc.

Influence vs. Influence vs. InterdependenceInterdependence

• Influence is a form of power based on Influence is a form of power based on the ability to persuade others to the ability to persuade others to support a desired objective.support a desired objective.

• Interdependence is mutual Interdependence is mutual dependence. Two nations rely on dependence. Two nations rely on each other.each other.

DiplomacyDiplomacy

• Diplomacy the conduct of relations Diplomacy the conduct of relations between nations, as in making between nations, as in making agreements.agreements.

• VERY IMPORTANT AT BUN! Every VERY IMPORTANT AT BUN! Every delegate must be polite, cooperative, delegate must be polite, cooperative, and unoffensive.and unoffensive.

And some more vocab…And some more vocab…

• Agenda-A list of things to be done or dealt withAgenda-A list of things to be done or dealt with• Alliance-A union for joint action of various powers or states in Alliance-A union for joint action of various powers or states in

international relationsinternational relations• Ambassador-The highest ranking diplomatic representatives sent Ambassador-The highest ranking diplomatic representatives sent

from one government to anotherfrom one government to another• Bureaucracy-A type of administration characterized by Bureaucracy-A type of administration characterized by

specialization, professionalism, and security of tenurespecialization, professionalism, and security of tenure• Coalition-TEMPORARY allianceCoalition-TEMPORARY alliance• Coup D’etat-A sudden forceful stroke in politics, especially the Coup D’etat-A sudden forceful stroke in politics, especially the

violent overthrow or alteration of an existing governmentviolent overthrow or alteration of an existing government• Extort-To get money or other items of value by violence, threats, Extort-To get money or other items of value by violence, threats,

or misuse of authorityor misuse of authority• Faction-An association of individual organized for the purpose of Faction-An association of individual organized for the purpose of

influencing government towards certain actionsinfluencing government towards certain actions• International Law-The rules generally observed and regarded as International Law-The rules generally observed and regarded as

binding in the relations between and among statesbinding in the relations between and among states

This is the last slide, I This is the last slide, I promisepromise

• Extort-To get money or other items of value by violence, Extort-To get money or other items of value by violence, threats, or misuse of authoritythreats, or misuse of authority

• Faction-An association of individual organized for the purpose Faction-An association of individual organized for the purpose of influencing government towards certain actionsof influencing government towards certain actions

• International Law-The rules generally observed and regarded International Law-The rules generally observed and regarded as binding in the relations between and among statesas binding in the relations between and among states

• Privatization-The process of transferring ownership of a Privatization-The process of transferring ownership of a business or industry from government control to a private business or industry from government control to a private enterpriseenterprise

• Sanction-A coercive economic or military measure, usually Sanction-A coercive economic or military measure, usually adopted by several nations in concert, for forcing a nation adopted by several nations in concert, for forcing a nation violating international law to desist or yield to adjudicationviolating international law to desist or yield to adjudication

• Sanctuary-A nation or area near or contiguous to a combat Sanctuary-A nation or area near or contiguous to a combat area that is exempt from attack by the warring partiesarea that is exempt from attack by the warring parties