THREAT TO THE PEACE

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What is the UNSC?

Under the United Nations (UN) Charter, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the six principal organs of the UN and it has primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security.
A total of 15 member states serve on the UNSC, five of which are permanent members while the remaining 10 members are non-permanent and are elected to serve two-year terms.
The UN Charter tasks the Security Council with the responsibility to:
  • to maintain international peace and security;
  • to investigate any dispute or situation which might lead to international friction;
  • to recommend methods of adjusting such disputes or the terms of settlement;
  • to determine the existence of a threat to the peace or act of aggression and to recommend what action should be taken;
  • to call on Members to apply economic sanctions and other measures not involving the use of force to prevent or stop aggression;
  • to take military action against an aggressor.
Chapter V of the UN Charter specifically addresses the establishment, function, powers and composition of the UNSC.
  

RELEVANT UN CHARTER ARTICLES

  

Article 23: "The Security Council shall consist of fifteen Members of the United Nations. The Republic of China, France, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the United States of America shall be permanent members of the Security Council. The General Assembly shall elect ten other Members of the United Nations to be non-permanent members of the Security Council, due regard being specially paid, in the first instance to the contribution of Members of the United Nations to the maintenance of international peace and security and to the other purposes of the Organization, and also to equitable geographical distribution. The non-permanent members of the Security Council shall be elected for a term of two years. […] Each member of the Security Council shall have one representative."
 

Article 24: "In order to ensure prompt and effective action by the United Nations, its Members confer on the Security Council primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, and agree that in carrying out its duties under this responsibility the Security Council acts on their behalf. In discharging these duties the Security Council shall act in accordance with the Purposes and Principles of the United Nations. The specific powers granted to the Security Council for the discharge of these duties are laid down in Chapters VI, VII, VIII, and XII. The Security Council shall submit annual and, when necessary, special reports to the General Assembly for its consideration."