The General assembly

Question 1

What is the composition of the GA and which article of the UN charter discusses it:

Answer 1

It is discussed in article 9

the GA consists of all members of the united nations, no state shall have more than 5 representatives.

Question 2

What are the functions and powers of the GA and under which articles is it explained:

Answer 2

• make recommendations to the members of the SC and the UN
• the GA shall not make recommendations with the regards to that dispute unless the SC requests it
• discuss questions that are within the scope of the UN charter
• discuss questions relating to the maintenance of international peace and security - can call the attention of the SC to situation which can endanger this
• issues can be brought before the GA by all members and non-members
• the general assembly shall initiate studies in relations to promoting international peace and human rights in respect to human rights
• the GA considers and approve the budget of the UN
• receive and consider reports from the other organs of the UN

Question 3

What does the Charter say about voting in the GA:

Answer 3

According to article 18-19:

• each member has one vote
• decisions of the are made by a two-third majority vote of the members that are PRESENT and VOTING
• members who have outstanding payments of their membership to the UN lose their vote

Question 4

Subsidiary organs under the GA

Answer 4

Human Right council
International law commission
Joint inspection unit
Disarmament commission
Standing committees and ad hoc bodies

Question 5

what chapter of the UN is regarding the GA

Answer 5

chapter 4

Question 6

what chapter of the UN is regarding the GA

Answer 6

chapter 4

Question 7

Procedures of the GA and the articles:

Answer 7

article 20

the GA meet in regular annual sessions and in such special sessions as occasion may require, special sessions shall be convoked by the Secretary-general and the request of the SC or of a majority of the members of the UN

the GA can adopt their own rules of procedure and it shall elect a president for each session

if the GA deems in necessary, it can establish subsidiary organs

Question 8

election of the president of the GA

Answer 8

• simple majority vote
• the member states of a regional group agree on one candidate and present a clean slate
• the president is elected at least three months before formally assuming office on mid-june, therefore he/she has time to prepare before assuming office

Question 9

role and mandate of the PGA:

Answer 9

the president acts as the guardian of the GA’s rules and procedures - but has no actual saying in the decision-making of the GA (aka he/she has no vote)

the term is non-renewable

the UN charter only established the function of the PGA, not the exact role and mandate - ot has been defined and agreed upon by the GA and are described in the GA rules and procedures in GA resolutions

Question 10

who can become PGA?

Answer 10

any member state can put forth a candidate.

the member states of the PGA cannot hold office of vice-president or chair of a main committee - therefore the five permanent members of the SC who are always vice-president cannot become PGA.

The presidency rotates among the five regional groups, namely the asia-pacific states, eastern european state, latin america and caribbean states, african state and the western european and other states

Question 11

what are the main six committees of the GA

Answer 11

Disarmament and international security committee

Economic and financial committee

Social, Humanitarian and culture committee

Special political and decolonization committee

Administrative and Budgetary committee

Legal committee