AMJD Volume. 10, Issue 3 (2021)

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Contributor(s)

Alfa, A.S., Onikosi, A.A., Issa Babatunde Oba
 

Keywords

Reform Security Council United Nations International Law
 

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A Critical Overview of the Reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and its Obstacles

Abstract: A great deal has happened in the world since the end of World War II. However, there is no world state, global government, or even a super-national body that determines states' behaviour. Thus, the United Nations (UN) was created in 1945 and the Security Council (SC) in 1946. The Security Council (SC) continues to be the only body from which an order can be issued competently, legitimately, and completely, for universal implementation and mandatory at least for the 193 sovereign states that comprise the United Nations. Today, the SC is made up of 15 states with sovereign equality but with different levels of participation. Five are permanent (the UK, US, Russia, China, and France), all with veto power, and 10 are non-permanent members elected using criteria of regional representation for a period of two years without the possibility of consecutive re-election. As a result, the Council continues to be a model for doing international law. But its actions and operations are always limited by the UN Charter itself and international law. The fact remains that the council’s structure is still largely the same as its initial structure of 1946, and hence does not reflect the current world power distribution and geopolitical situation. The critics are still skeptical about the veto power of the permanent members. It is accused of being superfluous, anachronistic, and an impediment to the fulfilment of the mandate of the SC and the UN at large. This research work, therefore, critically reviews the Security Council reform proposal and its obstacles therein. Derived method of analysis was employed. Findings from the study revealed that the veto power of the five permanent members of the Security Council and the disagreements between the SC and other UN member states have been responsible for the lack of action on the major SC reform proposals, thereby resulting in the UN’s failure to maintain international peace and security.
 
 
 

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