United Nations General Assembly
- United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) is One of the six principal organs of the United Nations.
- All 193 member states of the United Nations are members of the General Assembly, each of which has one vote.
- UNGA is the only one in which all member nations have equal representation.
- Further, the UNGA may grant observer status to an international organization, entity or non-member state, which entitles the entity to participate in the work of the UN General Assembly, though with limitations.
Powers of the United Nations General Assembly
- General Assembly appoints a Secretary General of the UN based on the recommendations given by Security Council.
- It elects
- Non-Permanent members of the Security Council and
- Members of the Social and Economic Council.
- Along with Security Council, General Assembly elects Judges to the International Court of Justice.
- It makes recommendations on any matters within the scope of the UN, except matters of peace and security that are under consideration by the Security Council.
Voting in the General Assembly
- Decision on important questions such as those on peace and security, UN budget, admission, suspension and expulsion of members to various organs of the UN requires a special majority.
- Other questions are decided by a straightforward majority.
- Each member country has one vote.
- Apart from the approval of budgetary matters, Assembly resolutions are not binding on the members.
- According to the “Uniting for Peace resolution of November 1950,” the Assembly may also take action if the Security Council fails to act, owing to the negative vote of a permanent member.
- The one-state, one-vote power structure potentially allows states comprising just five per cent of the world population to pass a resolution by a two-thirds vote.
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