2. Research Question
• Does the Veto Power of the UNSC Hamper peaceful
resolutions to global conflicts?
• How has Veto usage affected timely global responses to
crises?
• Does the Veto power diminish the UN's credibility?
3. What is the UNSC?
The UNSC, or United Nations Security Council, is a part of the United
Nations that focuses on global peace and security. It has 15 members,
with five permanent members (China, France, Russia, the UK, and the
US) having veto power.
4. What is the Veto Power?
The veto power of the UNSC (United Nations Security Council) allows
any of the five permanent members to block or reject any resolution,
even if it has majority support. This power provides the P5 with
significant influence in shaping international policy and addressing
global security issues. Within the UNSC, a single veto can stop
significant decisions from progressing.
5. Purpose of the Veto
The purpose of the veto power in the UNSC is to maintain international
peace and security by requiring consensus among major powers and
preventing any one nation from dominating or imposing its will on the
others.
6. Does the Veto power diminish the UN's
credibility?
The veto power in the United Nations Security Council can diminish the
UN's credibility by preventing effective action and causing diplomatic
gridlock when powerful nations use it for their interests. For Example,
Russia, which is a member of the UNSC itself, Veto-ing any action
against itself. This makes the UN unable to take any action and thereby
diminishing its credibility as a organization tasked with promoting
peace.
7. Does it hamper Peaceful Solutions?
The UNSC's veto power has faced criticism for being used by
permanent members to advance their national interests rather than
maintaining global peace and security, resulting in instances of inaction
during international crises, as evident from the ongoing Russia-Ukraine
War where nearly half a million people have been killed due to the
inability of the United Nations to stop the war.
8. Research Finding
The UNSC's veto power is a topic of continued debate. It has been a
force for stability but has also caused frustration due to its potential for
inaction. Proposed changes seek to find a middle ground, preserving its
core purpose while making it more effective in maintaining global
peace and security.
9. Proposed Reforms
One common proposal is to limit the use of the veto in cases of mass
atrocities, such as genocide or crimes against humanity. This would
prevent a single member from blocking action when human rights
abuses are widespread. While others suggest we completely remove
the veto power or replace it with a supermajority requirement.
10. "The UN General Assembly should be given a real power to
overcome the veto. This will be the first necessary step. It is
impossible to stop the war because all efforts are vetoed by the
aggressor."
- Volodymyr Zelenskyy
11. References
• Lowe, Vaughan; Roberts, Adam; Welsh, Jennifer; et al., eds.
(2008). The United Nations Security Council and War: The
Evolution of Thought and Practice since 1945. Oxford University
Press.
• Malone, D & Mahbubani, K: "The UN Security Council – from the Cold
War to the 21st Century", UN World Chronicle, 30 March 2004.
• “The use of veto power requires reform, and this can be a key reform
in the UN” (https://www.president.gov.ua/en/news/zastosuvannyaprava-veto-
potrebuye- reformuvannya-i-ce-mozhe-85745)
• "Subjects of UN Security Council Vetoes". Global Policy Forum.
