Background
Information
The
General Assembly is the main deliberative organ of the United Nations.
It is composed of representatives
of all Member States, each of
which has one vote. Decisions on important questions, such as those
on peace and security, admission of new Members and budgetary matters,
require a two-thirds majority. Decisions on other questions are reached
by a simple majority. These decisions may be adopted without a vote,
or with a vote, which may be recorded, non-recorded or by roll-call.
While
the decisions of the Assembly have no legally binding force for Governments,
they carry the weight of world opinion on major international issues,
as well as the moral authority of the world community.
The
work of the United Nations year-round derives largely from the decisions
of the General Assembly--that is to say, the will of the majority
of the Members as expressed in resolutions adopted by the Assembly.
That work is carried out:
-by committees and
other bodies established by the Assembly to study and report on specific
issues, such as disarmament, outer space, peace-keeping, decolonization
and human rights; in international conferences called for by the Assembly;
and by the Secretariat
of the United Nations--the Secretary-General
and his staff of international civil servants.
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Functions
and Powers
Under
the Charter, the functions and powers
of the General Assembly include:
-
to consider and make recommendations on cooperation in the maintenance
of international peace and security, including disarmament and arms
regulation;
- to discuss any question relating to international peace and security
and, except where a dispute or situation is being discussed by the
Security Council, to make recommendations
on it;
- to discuss and, with the same exception, make recommendations on
any question within the scope of the Charter or affecting the powers
and functions of any organ of the United Nations;
- to initiate studies and make recommendations to promote international
political cooperation, the development and codification of international
law; the realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms for
all, and international collaboration in economic, social, cultural,
educational and health fields;
- to make recommendations for the peaceful settlement of any situation,
regardless of origin, which might impair friendly relations among
nations;
- to receive and consider reports from the Security Council and other
United Nations organs;
- to consider and approve the United Nations budget and to apportion
the contributions among Members;
- to elect the non-permanent members of the Security Council, the
members of the Economic and
Social Council and those members of the Trusteeship
Council that are elected;
- to elect jointly with the Security Council the Judges of the International
Court of Justice; and, on the recommendation of the Security Council,
to appoint the Secretary-General.
Under
the "Uniting for peace" resolution adopted by the General Assembly in
November 1950, the Assembly may take action if the Security Council,
because of a lack of unanimity of its permanent members, fails to act
in a case where there appears to be a threat to the peace, breach of
the peace or act of aggression. The Assembly is empowered to consider
the matter immediately with a view to making recommendations to Members
for collective measures, including, in the case of a breach of the peace
or act of aggression, the
use of armed force when necessary to maintain or restore international
peace and security.
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General
Assembly Sessions
The
General Assembly's regular session begins each year on the third Tuesday
in September and continues usually until the third week of December.
In recent years, the Assembly has been in session throughout the year.
At the start of each regular session, the Assembly elects a new President,
21 Vice-Presidents and the Chairmen of the Assembly's six Main Committees.
The Assembly also holds a general debate, in which Member States express
their views on a wide range of matters of international concern. To
ensure equitable geographical representation, the presidency of the
Assembly rotates each year among five groups of States: African, Asian,
Eastern European, Latin American and Caribbean, and Western European
and other States.
In
addition to its regular sessions, the Assembly may meet in
special sessions at the request of the Security Council, of a majority
of Members of the United Nations or of one Member if the majority of
Members concurs. Emergency special
sessions may be called within 24 hours of a request by the Security
Council on the vote of any nine members of the Council, or by a majority
of the United Nations Members, or by one Member if the majority of Members
concurs.
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Main
Committees
Because
of the great number of questions which the Assembly is called upon
to consider (166 separate agenda items at the 51st (1996/1997) session
of the Assembly, for example), the Assembly allocates most questions
to its six Main Committees:
(Relevant
document series symbols appear in parentheses.)
-First
Committee--Disarmament and International Security Committee (A/C.1/sess./-)
-Second Committee--Economic and Financial Committee(A/C.2/sess./-)
-Third Committee--Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Committee (A/C.3/sess./-)
-Fourth Committee--Special Political and Decolonization Committee (A/C.4/sess./-)
-Fifth Committee--Administrative and Budgetary Committee (A/C.5/sess./-)
-Sixth Committee--Legal Committee (A/C.6/sess./-)
There
is also a General Committee, composed of the President and 21 Vice-Presidents
of the Assembly and the chairmen of the six Main Committees and a Credentials
Committee. The Credentials Committee consists of nine members appointed
by the Assembly on the proposal of the President at each session who
reports to the Assembly on the credentials of representatives. Some
questions are considered directly in plenary meetings, rather than in
one of the Main Committees. All questions are voted on in plenary meetings,
usually towards the end of the regular session, after the committees
have completed their consideration of them and submitted draft resolutions
to the plenary Assembly.
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Source: Basic Facts About the United Nations, Sales No. E.95.I.31. Last
updated 25 April 1997
