The UNO

The United Nations Organization (UNO) was formed after World War II in the search for peace, succeeding the League of Nations, which failed to prevent the Second World War.

Establishment and Purpose:

• Delegates from 50 nations drafted the charter in San Francisco from April 25 to June 26, 1945.

• The UN officially came into existence on October 24, 1945.

• Its purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations, cooperate in solving international problems (economic, social, cultural, and humanitarian), promote human rights, and protect Earth and the Environment.

Key Principles:

• Based on the sovereign equality of all members.

• Members must fulfill their charter obligations in good faith and settle disputes peacefully.

• Members must refrain from the threat or use of force against other states.

General Information:

• The permanent headquarters since 1952 is New York.

• The UN Flag is a white UN emblem on a light blue background.

• The six official working languages are Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish, and Arabic.

• Funding comes primarily from the contributions of member states based on their total national income.

• Membership is open to all peace-loving nations that accept the charter's obligations.

Main Organs (All headquartered in New York, except the ICJ):

• The General Assembly: The main deliberative organ, like a World Parliament, composed of all member states.

• The Security Council: Charged with maintaining peace and security, comprises five permanent members (US, Britain, France, Russia, China) with veto power, and ten non-permanent members elected for two years.

• The Secretariat: Headed by the Secretary-General (currently Antonio Guterres).

• The Trusteeship Council: Helped countries under foreign rule attain independence (inactive since 1994).

• The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC): Assists the General Assembly in promoting international economic and social cooperation and development.

• International Court of Justice (ICJ): Headquartered in the Netherlands, it consists of 15 judges and considers legal disputes between nations and provides advisory opinions.

Specialized Agencies include: International Labour Organisation (ILO), World Health Organisation (WHO), World Bank, and International Monetary Fund (IMF).