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Role of the General Assembly

The General Assembly plays a key role in the financing of peacekeeping. The sixty-seventh session opened on 18 September 2012.

Wide view of people seated in the General Assembly hall

UN Photo/Paulo Filgueiras

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon addresses the opening of the general debate.

The General Assembly is the main deliberative, policymaking and representative organ of the United Nations. Comprising all 193 Member States of the UN, it provides a unique forum for multilateral discussion of the full spectrum of international issues. This includes international peace and security matters.

Sixty-seventh session of the General Assembly

The sixty-seventh session opened on 18 September 2012 with the President of the General Assembly, Mr. Vuk Jeremić, stating:

'I will urge the Assembly to strengthen the role of UN peacekeeping. I would like to engage with the membership on how we can more decisively support those who serve under the UN flag in conflict-ridden areas throughout the world.

'The presence of the United Nations on the ground is an indispensable instrument of peace. For many decades, it has greatly contributed to reducing hostilities between belligerents, while helping create an atmosphere more conducive to the settlement of disputes by peaceful means.'

General Debate 2012: Member States contributing to peace

The annual general debate where the world assembly hears statements by Heads of State and Ministers begins on 25 September. This year's theme for the general debate is "Bringing about adjustment or settlement of international disputes of situations by peaceful means."

During this year's general debate, we are highlighting the difference made to the lives of the people we are serving in countries all over the world through the contribution of Member States. Each of the images below tells an individual story, click to find out more. To reset the wall, click "show all".

 

In this video, a policewoman from Côte d'Ivoire explains the role of UN Police in Haiti as part of our mission MINUSTAH.
Indian vets and doctors with our mission in South Sudan hold a consultation day for farmers in Jonglei, treating people and animals.
Police from Burkina Faso, Mali, Côte d'Ivoire and the United States all work together as part of our mission MINUSTAH.
Nepalese peacekeepers in our mission in Lebanon.
Over two hundred and fifty people participated in an awareness day on empowering rural women organized by our mission in DR Congo and the Youth Parliament of Ecuador.
In this video from our former mission in Syria, UNSMIS, narrated by the Norwegian head of the mission, General Robert Mood, we find out the challenges and objectives of the mission and emphasise the importance of engaging with the people to build trust and confidence.
In Western Sahara, unexploded mines still pose a huge problem for the people living there.
The human rights team in our mission in South Sudan taught a sensitisation course for police and prison officers in Upper Nile State.
In Haiti, the Indonesian Engineering Battalion rebuilt a road in Arbonite.
In North Darfur, the AU-UN mission partnered with an NGO to teach new skills to young people affected by violence.
185 ex combatants laying down arms voluntarily as part of a UNOCI arms collection operation.
Jordanian medical professionals working as part of our mission in Liberia provide medical treatment and meals to local children.
Our civil affairs team, alongside Italian soldiers from our mission in Lebanon, organised a water awareness festival.
Transitional justice workshop, organized by Human Rights Division of UNOCI working with 30 national NGOs on reconciliation and transitional justice.
In Cyprus, our mission supported basketball games organised by a non-profit organization for Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot children who rarely play together.
Our mission in Darfur partnered with the NGO El Bagayat to enhance the library in El Fasher.
Engineers from the Japanese contingent working as part of our mission in Haiti, rebuilt a school in Croix-des-Bouquets destroyed by the earthquake.
The UN mission in Afghanistan, UNAMA, organised a conference in southeastern Paktya province attended by hundreds of young people where they were encouraged to contribute to Afghanistan's development and promotion of peace and human rights.
Our mission in Timor-Leste assisted with the recent elections in the country.
In North Kivu, Indian peacekeepers working as part of our mission MONUSCO set up a weekly course program for youngsters in villages located within their area of responsibility, thereby enabling young people to acquire professional skills and basic civic education.
Soldiers from Pakistan in our mission in Liberia, UNMIL built a children's playgrond in Voinjama, Lofa County as a parting gift to the local community as they ended their tour of duty in Liberia.
The hospital of the South Korean military, part of our mission in Haiti, provided free medical care to people living in Léogâne, south west Haiti.
Peacekeepers from Rwanda with the UN-AU mission in Darfur built ten new classrooms in three schools earlier this year.
Peacekeepers from Brazil working with the Community Violence Section of our mission in Haiti, MINUSTAH, and a NGO held a day of sports and educational activities for 300 school children from the Cite Soleil area of Port-au-Prince.
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You can also view our global map showing all military and police contributions to our peacekeeping operations by country.

Financing matters

While not normally directly involved in political decisions on establishing or terminating UN Peacekeeping operations, the General Assembly does play a key role in peacekeeping financing.

As all UN Member States share the costs of peacekeeping, the Assembly apportions these expenses based on a special scale of assessments, taking into account the relative economic wealth of Member States, with the permanent members of the Security Council required to pay a larger share because of their special responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security.

The General Assembly, through its Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) approves and oversees the peacekeeping budget. This includes how specific field operations are funded and equipped, based on detailed submissions provided to it by the UN Secretary-General.

Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations

The General Assembly monitors the performance of UN Peacekeeping through its Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations. It was established in 1965 to conduct a comprehensive review of all issues relating to peacekeeping.  The Committee reports on its work to the General Assembly through its Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization).

"Uniting for Peace" resolution

Under the UN Charter, however, the General Assembly cannot discuss and make recommendations on peace and security matters which are at that time being addressed by the Security Council.

Despite the UN Charter's provision limiting the General Assembly's powers with regard to peace and security matters, there may be cases when the Assembly can take action.

In accordance with the General Assembly's "Uniting for Peace" resolution of November 1950 [resolution 377 (V)] PDF Document, if the Security Council fails to act, owing to the negative vote of a permanent member, then the General Assembly may act. This would happen in the case where there appears to be a threat to the peace, breach of the peace or act of aggression. The General Assembly can consider the matter with a view to making recommendations to Members for collective measures to maintain or restore international peace and security.

This resolution was invoked only once in UN peacekeeping history, when in 1956 the General Assembly established the First UN Emergency Force (UNEF I) in the Middle East.

Thematic debate

In June 2010, the General Assembly held a first-ever thematic debate on peacekeeping entitled "UN Peacekeeping: looking into the future". The debate was organized on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Brahimi Report.

 

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