Guide Note: The UN General Assembly was established as an organ of the United Nations in 1945. It is comprised of all UN members and is the only UN organ in which all members have equal representation. The GA is the main deliberation, policy-making ,and representative group. It also oversees the budget for the United Nations, appoints members to the Security Council and make recommendations for resolutions. It is one of the six major bodies of the United Nations.
The GA meets from September to December each year and as needed in Special and Emergency Sessions. A two thirds majority is required to pass resolutions and recommendations on peace and security and the election of Security Council members. A simple majority is all that is needed on other questions. An effort is made to achieve consensus on issues instead of deciding by a vote. The President of the General Assembly can then propose that a resolution be adopted without voting. Resolutions are brought to the GA by sponsoring states. If passed they are only symbolic because the GA does not have powers of enforcement on anything other that the budget.
The "Uniting for Peace" resolution gave the GA the power to call emergency sessions to recommend “collective measures” in case of an act of aggression.
Fast Facts:
- Established: 1945
- Headquarters: New York, NY, United States
- Acronyms: GA, UNGA
- President: Srgjan Kerim
- First session: January 10, 1946
- Votes are carried by two thirds majority
Membership:
- Member countries: 192
- Observer states and organizations: 64
- Permanent observer states: The Holy See
Special Sessions:
- Convened at the request of the UN Security Council, or a majority of members
- UN's 50th anniversary
- Celebrating the millennium
- Commemorating the UN's 60th anniversary
Emergency sessions:
- Uniting for Peace resolution gives the GA power to call Emergency session
- Two thirds of members must be “present and voting” and approve the resolution
- There have been ten emergency sessions
Committees:
- Disarmament and International Security
- Economic and Financial
- Social, Humanitarian and Cultural
- Special Political and Decolonization
- Administrative and Budgetary
- Legal
