Understanding the UN: Purposes, Powers, and Principles
UN’s Core Functions: Powers, Principles, and Purposes
- The United Nations is the only international organization with clear universal and general purposes.
- Its primary purpose is maintaining international peace and security through measures like the Security Council.
- Article 2.6 states that “States” not members of the UN must respect the Charter of San Francisco regarding international peace and security. This isn’t an international treaty, as those only bind member states.
Article 103 states that “if there is a conflict between a provision of the Charter and any provision of any international treaty, the provisions of the San Francisco Charter prevail.” This gives the Charter precedence over any other treaty before or after 1945.
The Charter of San Francisco (October 24, 1945) sets the principles of general International Law, not merely the provisions of an international treaty or organization.
UN Powers and Global Competence
The UN has general competence and can address any area with international relevance.
This is limited by Article 2.7 of the Charter of San Francisco, which states the UN “cannot intervene in matters within the domestic jurisdiction of States.” However, this limit is blurred since the Charter allows intervention when there is a threat to peace.
The main responsibilities are:
- Maintaining international peace and security.
- Promoting friendly relations among peoples.
- Promoting peaceful settlement of international disputes.
- Protecting human rights.
- Development Cooperation (alleviating poverty in the Third World).
The UN’s powers are regulated by the Charter of San Francisco, but the principle of implied powers allows for skills not explicitly in the Charter, such as environmental protection, which aligns with development cooperation.
Purposes and Principles of the UN
The purposes align with the goals in Article 1 of the Charter of the United Nations:
- Peacekeeping and International Security. All other purposes relate to this, including preventive measures to maintain peace and prevent armed conflicts.
- Promoting friendly relations among States.
- Developing international cooperation to address economic, social, and cultural rights, as these problems can cause conflict.
- Promoting respect for human rights.
- Providing a forum for preventive measures.
The principles are the rules by which the UN aims to achieve its goals. Initially in Article 2 of the Charter, they were later extended by resolution 2625 (XXV) of 1970.
These are considered guiding principles of international law, respected by all countries, and cannot be repealed or amended by states. This gives cohesion to the international order.
- Principle prohibiting the threat or use of armed force against the political independence and territorial integrity of States. Peaceful settlement of disputes.
- Principle of non-intervention in the internal affairs of States.
- Duty of cooperation among States.
- Principle of self-determination of peoples.
- Sovereign equality of all States. Fulfillment in good faith of obligations internationally.
- Protection of human rights.
- Authority over non-members.