United Nations Security Council

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1 United Nations Security Council Background Guide The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) held its first session in It is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations and is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states. UNSC is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security through peacekeeping operations, international sanctions, and military actions. There are 15 member states that compose the Security Council, 5 of which are permanent and have veto power. A representative of each of its members must be present at all times at UN Headquarters in NYC so that the Security Council can meet at any time as the need arises. I: Maintaining Stability on the Korean Peninsula Since the armistice of 1953, the Korean Peninsula has been one of the most contentious regions in the world. Contrasting governments between the Republic of Korea (South Korea or ROK) and the Democratic People s Republic of Korea (North Korea or DPRK) have created a global environment of tension beyond the Korean Peninsula. Often contesting and disregarding Security Council resolutions and policies, the Democratic People s Republic of Korea has continued to develop its nuclear programs contributing to an increasing sense of unease throughout the Asia-Pacific region and contributing to rising tensions between the United States and China, North Korea s only regional ally. The United Nations Security Council has taken many steps to relinquish its nuclear ambitions and move toward a more stabilizing path including sanctions, embargos, and diplomatic isolation. Unfortunately, these steps have had little effect on North Korean nuclear ambitions. The Security Council s first attempt at limiting the power of North Korea s nuclear development was Resolution 1718 of 2006, which condemned the country s previous nuclear tests. 1 Resolution 1718 further stated that the continued nuclear tests by North Korea are a clear threat to international peace and security. 2 More recently, following North Korea s use of a chemical weapon to execute leader Kim Jong-un s half-brother, South Korea has called its northern neighbor unpredictable, and trigger happy, and has even demanded the suspension of North Korea s United Nations membership. 3 Because of the country s blatant 1 UN Security Council Resolution 1718 (2006), Resolution 1718 (2006), S/RES/1718 (2006) (14 Oct, 2006), 2 Ibid. 3 Mills, Curt, South Korea Wants North Korea Suspended From U.N., U.S. News & World Report, 28 Feb,

2 defiance of Security Council regulation and terms of membership in the United Nations, there has been considerable debate over what the United Nations, and the international community as a whole can do to maintain peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula; an issue that is increasingly important as North Korea continues to advance its nuclear program. The stability of the Korean Peninsula has long been a significant issue for the United Nations, stemming from the Korean War of and the subsequent division of the peninsula. The United Nations supported the American-backed South Korea effort during the war after North Korea, with help from the Soviet Union and China, seceded from and invaded the south. The Security Council adopted Resolution S/RES/83: Complaint of Aggression upon the Republic of Korea on June 27, 1950 and authorized the dispatch of a United Nations military force on the peninsula. 4 Though twenty-one member states participated in the joint military force in Korea, 88% of troops were provided by the United States 5 and UN forces were consistently outnumbered by the North. 6 In the end, the United Nations negotiated an armistice, which resulted in the creation of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) as a 2.5-mile wide neutral zone for diplomatic relations between the North and South Korean governments. 7 It was not until August 6, 1991 that both North and South Korea were admitted to the United Nations as member states with the adoption of Resolution 702 of The United Nations has consistently supported humanitarian efforts in North Korea since the signing of the armistice. Currently, thirteen United Nations agencies and NGOs are present in the country, yet nearly $114 million is still needed to aid the country s vulnerable population, which suffers from sustained poverty and malnutrition. 9 In 2006 the United Nations initiated the Central Emergency Response Fund to aid countries in times of crisis. While North Korea received $15 million from this fund in 2011, the financial package dropped to $6 million by 2014 after the North Korean government began testing their nuclear weapons; seen as a clear violation of international law. 10 As a result of policy violations against the United Nations, the Security Council passed Resolution 2270, which called upon countries to inspect all cargo travelling to or from North Korea, and prohibited any member states from selling or supplying 4 Korean War Memorial Foundation, A Brief History of the Korean War, Korean War Memorial Foundation, Ibid. 6 Ibid. 7 Millett, Allan R., Korean War, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Jul, The UN Security Council Resolution 702 (1991), Resolution 702 (1991), S/RES/702 (6 Aug, 1991), available from 9 UN News Centre, Korean Peninsula: Conflict prevention our collective priority but onus also on DPRK, says UN chief, UN News Centre, 28 Apr, Shim, Elizabeth, North Korea to receive $8 million in U.N. humanitarian aid, United Press International, 2 Jun,

3 aviation fuel to North Korea, a means to ensure that member states are not inadvertently promoting North Korea s ballistic missile program. 11 Most recently, the United Nation s Strategic Framework (UNSF) for cooperation between the UN and the DPRK s government has outlined four key priorities to address in North Korea over the next several years. From the UNSF is supporting government programs; Food and Nutrition Security, Social Development Services, Resilience and Sustainability, and Data and Development Management on a national level in North Korea with the overarching goal of improving the lives of North Koreans. 12 These programs, while not direct programs of the government, have been agreed upon by the DPRK in accordance with the United Nations. A mid-term review has been scheduled for 2019 to assess the effectiveness of the UNSF in North Korea. Ensuring the stability of the Korean Peninsula has been a challenge for the United Nations and the international community as a whole for over six decades. The added nuclear tests of the past two decades have only antagonized the tensions between the North and South, and has contributed to global tensions and concerns over the possibility of war. With the DPRK refusing to comply with the terms of the United Nations, the Security Council is limited in its ability to aid the struggling people of North Korea. Growing tensions because of the increased nuclear testing has put a deep strain on the relationship between North and South Korea, but also between North Korea and the United Nations. In a country where nearly 70% of the population depends on food distributed by authorities, 13 peace between the DPRK and the United Nations is vital to the survival of people in North Korea. Furthermore, with estimates of casualties reaching nearly a million in the first days if conflict erupts, stability in the Democratic People s Republic, as well as the Republic of Korea, is paramount in ensuring a promising future for East Asia and international peace and security. Questions to consider: How can the Security Council address the nuclear violations of North Korea? Does the United Nations have the responsibility to provide aid to a country that continuously violates its terms of membership? What is South Korea s role in promoting peace on the Peninsula? What have been the barriers in the international fight against North Korean aggression? 11 UN Security Council Resolution 2270 (2016), Resolution 2270 (2016), S/RES/2270 (2016) (2 Mar, 2016), available from 12 United Nations in DPR Korea, New Framework Sets Out Strategy for Next Five Years, United Nations. 13 Shim, Elizabeth, U.N. food aid to North Korea declined in February, UPI, 28 Mar,

4 II. Combatting Terrorism in Africa In recent decades, the continent of Africa has struggled significantly with issues of armed conflict and terrorism. With armed conflicts in Africa accounting for nearly 52% of the global total 14 and affecting only 16.36% of the global population, 15 the scope of conflict and terrorism in Africa cannot be ignored by the global community. Apart from the human loss of thousands across the continent, these conflicts have created immense strains on national economies and budgets, hampering development and creating a cycle of poverty, violence, and hunger in many countries. The issue of terrorism and intrastate violence has constituted a consistent challenge for the United Nations and international community. Adopting the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy in 2006, the United Nations established a four pillar Plan of Action to directly address the issue as it stands on the African Continent. 16 Despite this, however, the issue remains a significant challenge for the national government, regional bodies, and the United Nations as a whole. With a measurable increase in violence and acts of terror in Africa since 2001, the United Nations has established and consistently strengthened the Security Council Counter- Terrorism Committee under resolutions 1373 (2001) and 1624 (2005) to assist in the protection of countries from acts of terror regionally and domestically. 17 While terrorist groups in Africa tend to carry out most attacks on the African continent, their influence in Africa has turned into an international concern with increasing threats in Europe and North America. Though dozens of terrorist organizations operate across the African continent, the three that constitute the greatest threat to African nations and the global community include Al- Shabaab in Somalia, Boko Haram in the Western Sahel region, and Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb in northern Africa. Combined, these three organizations were responsible for the deaths of nearly 40,000 people during 2014 through attaches on malls, hotels, restaurants, universities, and schools throughout Africa. 18 These attacks include the 2014 Boko Haram kidnapping of 250 schoolgirls from a Nigerian secondary school, 19 and the attack carried out against a popular resort in northern Mali in which Al-Qaeda gunmen killed 22 people. 20 While both of these attacks gained considerable global attention and condemnation, attacks such as these occur with alarming frequency across the continent and have contributed to the 14 Gberie, Lansana, Terrorism overshadows internal conflicts, United Nations Africa Renewal, April, Worldometers, Africa Population, Worldometers, 28 Jun, United Nations Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force, UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, CTITF 17 Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee, The United Nations Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee, United Nations Security Council. 18 Gberie, Lansana, Terrorism overshadows internal conflicts, United Nations Africa Renewal, April, Ibid. 20 Alle, Koffi, What is terrorism costing Africa? World Economic Forum, 21 Dec,

5 displacement of nearly 500,000 people in Nigeria alone. 21 This has further resulted to a rise in the population of refugee camps, contributing to other issues such as disease and malnutrition. 22 The prevalence of terrorism and violence across the African continent has created considerable strain on economic and social development in many countries with issues ranging from slow or negative GDP growth, the destruction of infrastructure, and an increasing instance of Brain Drain. For example, following attacks by the Islamic State, Tunisia experienced only a 1% growth rate in GDP for the year 2015 contributed to by the subsequent reduction in the number of tourist visit the country; a trend that can be observed across the continent. 23 Meanwhile, in Nigeria, the country has faced billions of dollars in damage to infrastructure by Boko Haram, 24 burdening the economy of Africa s most populated country, and one of the world s youngest by average age. 25 Governments across Africa have been forced to increase spending to fight terrorism, as well, noting Kenya s increased security spending following the 2015 Garissa University College attack. 26 While much needs to be done internationally to address the growing challenge of terrorism in Africa, many African leaders have made considerable progress as well. In February of2017, the countries of Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger agreed to enforce a Sahel G5 Joint Counter-Terrorism Initiative that provides troops to the Sahel region with funding contributed from European nations. 27 Though the frontline troops would be from the Sahel region, European funding would make this force possible. Chad, in particular, has provided a third of the 8,700 total troops for this joint counter-terrorism coalition; leading the fight against terrorism in Africa. 28 Due to its rapidly developing economies, dynamic modernization, and growing population, the security concerns of Africa are becoming increasingly important for global peace and security. While International agreements and policies exist to combat the spreading influence of terrorist organizations in Africa, including the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and the Sahel G5, the rate of terrorist attacks on the continent remains one of the highest in the world. With support from the international community, further advances can be 21 Ibid. 22 Ibid. 23 Ibid. 24 Ibid. 25 Worldometers, Countries in the world by population (2017), Worldometers, 26 Alle, Koffi, What is terrorism costing Africa? World Economic Forum, 21 Dec, News Wires, African leaders agree to new joint counter-terrorism force, France 24, 06 Feb, Nickels, Benjamin P.; Shorey, Margot, Chad: A Precarious Counterterrorism Partner, Combating Terrorism Center, 30 Apr,

6 made in the fight against terrorism and contribute to the further advancement of the African continent and its people. Questions to Consider: Why should a nation that is not directly affected by terrorism in Africa still worry about its impact? What are the reasons that Africa, in addition to other parts of the world, has seen greater increases in terrorism? How can African nations cooperate to address the issue of terrorism? 6