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Who Has Power in The United Nations?
Those who have control over the United Nations hold power within the organisation. As we have discussed, power within the United Nations is decentralized and there is no one person, country or body that has ultimate control over all of the UN. However, there are a number of different power bases within the UN. Three of the main ones are:
Permanent Security Council members
UN General Assembly
UN Secretary General
Now, let’s look at each of these…
Permanent Security Council Member States
As we’ve discussed, the five permanent member states of the Security Council – the US, UK, France, Russia, and China have immense power within the United Nations. The Security Council is probably the most influential body within the UN. The permanent members each hold veto power which allows them to control what the Security Council can pass as resolutions. This probably gives them the post power over the UN.
UN General Assembly
The General Assembly also holds significant power within the UN. It has the ability to pass resolutions and is less controlled by just a few states than the Security Council is. The UN General Assembly holds significant power over international affairs and is one of the most influential bodies within the UN system.
Secretary General
The Secretary General also holds significant power in the UN. They are essentially the CEO of the United Nations and have control over the UN’s bureaucracy. Although still under heavy influence from member states, the Secretary General is the most powerful single person within the United Nations.
Does The United States Own The UN?
America perhaps has some of the biggest influence over the United Nations. It is the largest single donor to the UN, and the UN’s main headquarters is located in New York City in the US. All this begs the question, does the US actually own the United Nations?
The United States does not own the United Nations. Although the US has significant influence within the UN, and contributes the most funds to it, America does not control the UN. The UN is an independent organisation. America does not have authority over the United Nations.
Many people say the US has too much say over the United Nations. This may be true. However, the UN is a broadly democratic organisation and no one country, person or entity has complete control over it.
It would be incorrect to say the United States owns or controls the UN. The UN system is set-up so that power and authority is dispersed across many different entities. Although the United States, as the strongest country in the world and the largest UN donor, has a major input into how the UN operates, it does not own the UN.
https://humanitariancareers.com/who-controls-united-nations/