Fiachra Johnston examines the role of the not too often talked about UN Security Council.
One of five principal organisations of The United Nations, The UN Security council is responsible for perhaps some of the most delicate and demanding work within the UN. The 15 members of this group hold a huge amount of sway over international affairs, with the ability to mobilise troops for peacekeeping missions, and impose sanctions – both diplomatic and militaristic – on any nation in the world. As the UN’s website describes: “The Security Council has primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security.” We see the council in action, condemning attacks on UN peacekeeping efforts in the Central African Republic and reauthorising international naval forces to combat piracy off the coast of Somalia.
Unlike the General Assembly, there are only fifteen countries elected to the council: five permanent members (China, France, Russia, the U.K and the U.S), alongside 10 non-permanent countries, voted in for two-year terms by the General Assembly itself. Each year five of these countries are elected, two from Africa, one from the Asia-Pacific group, one from Latin America and one from Eastern Europe. This is what occurred in October of this year during the 70th session of the UN where Egypt, Senegal, Uruguay, Japan and Ukraine were elected to join Chad, Nigeria, Chile, Jordan and Lithuania on the council.
Any permanent member has the power to veto any vote being passed by the elected countries, regardless of whether or not it has achieved the required number of nine votes. Considering the fact that these permanent members are the countries (minus France, who was overtaken by Japan in recent years) responsible for the highest amount of military expenditure in the world there is always the possibility that, no matter how hard the UN attempts to stomp it out, elected countries may work in tandem for their own ends rather than global security. It could be argued that these permanent members are a powerful but necessary governing body within the council itself. On the other hand the reverse of this is always a potential problem, as the influence and leeway afforded to these members, particularly those who have had a tumultuous history with one another may be used for particularly selfish goals.
Secretary-General of the UN Ban Ki-Moon himself has stood in opposition of giving such a large amount of power to these five nations, stating that: “The UN Security Council Reform, being debated for two decades is too long overdue and the necessary expansion must be made considering how much the world has changed.” The UK has backed reform, arguing for India to become a permanent member, while Russia’s representative has said that reform needed to be on consensus.
Minister for Foreign Affairs, TD Charles Flanagan, says he felt that a change in the system was necessary: “The world is very different today to what it was in 1945 and I believe the Security Council should be expanded to reflect these changes and ensure all regions are appropriately represented. Any expansion of membership should accommodate member states that play a particularly significant role in the UN system”.
It’s worth noting that, while the vote was taken to make it official, every single nation that put themselves forward to represent their geographical group ran uncontested, primarily due to the overwhelming regional support each country received. Egypt especially received widespread support for its own bid, with 179 of the 193 UN member states voting in favor of its nomination. It should be considered less as a sinister plot full of bribery and lies, and more of a good thing; for countries to garner such support from opposing countries usually means that they are believed to have the best interests of the locale in mind.
Ireland retains its neutrality and has refused invitations into several armed coalitions such as NATO, but it still plays a large role in international politics. Ireland has contributed soldiers as UN peacekeepers since 1948. While we have no Irish council member, Irish troops are deployed to fight on the orders of these other nations that sit on the council, and as such, Ireland takes an active role in the issues and concerns of the council.
When asked if particular countries being voted in would affect Irish international relations for better or worse, Minister Flanagan said: “Ireland always endeavours to vote for candidate countries who we believe will make the most effective contribution to international peace and security… How we vote is just one aspect of our overall relationship with a particular country and it does not have a significant impact on our bilateral relations.”
Even if Ireland is not a member of the council, we are allowed to participate without a vote in any meeting of the council when our own interests are on the table. What should be kept in mind however, is that this may well impact foreign relations, not only for Ireland but for many countries within the EU. The countries that have these seats, as said, have a certain influence that they can potentially exert over other nations. It’s too early to see how these countries handle this newfound power, but it stands to reason that any of the nations have the ability to cause tensions within and outside their block. Russia primarily has been the subject of scrutiny as of late with its involvement in the Syrian crisis, so only time will tell as to how the new members of the council react to the current aggressive stance of one of the largest countries in Europe.
After serving a term on the council previously, Minister Flanagan resoundingly believed that Ireland should seek a seat again. “We will seek election to the Security Council again in 2020. In the 60 years since we joined the United Nations Ireland has been a key contributor to the UN in the areas of Peacekeeping, Disarmament, Human Rights and Development. Most recently Ireland played a key role in the negotiation of the Sustainable Development Goals. I believe our proud history of engagement with the UN, and our own experience of building peace and on this island, equips us to serve on the UN Security Council.” With the candidates solidified for the next year, only time will tell whether or not the right countries have been chosen for the job.
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