What may the Security Council do when it determines there is a threat to peace?
A Automatically amend national constitutions
B Replace the General Assembly
C Set the exchange rate for all members
D Make recommendations or decide measures under the Charter
Answer: Make recommendations or decide measures under the Charter. The Council may recommend or decide measures in accordance with the UN Charter.
Which UN Charter article concerns measures not involving armed force, such as sanctions?
A Article 41
B Article 23
C Article 27
D Article 99
Answer: Article 41. Article 41 addresses measures not involving the use of armed force.
Which article addresses the use of armed force if non-military measures are inadequate?
A Article 10
B Article 42
C Article 18
D Article 33
Answer: Article 42. Article 42 describes further action by air, sea, or land forces when Article 41 measures are inadequate.
Which Charter chapter authorizes enforcement action concerning threats to peace?
A Chapter IV
B Chapter VIII
C Chapter VII
D Chapter XII
Answer: Chapter VII. Chapter VII covers threats to peace, breaches of peace, and acts of aggression.
Which Charter chapter emphasizes peaceful settlement of disputes?
A Chapter V
B Chapter VII
C Chapter XI
D Chapter VI
Answer: Chapter VI. Chapter VI is devoted to the pacific settlement of disputes.
What is the composition of the Security Council under Article 23?
A Five permanent members and ten elected members
B Six permanent members and nine elected members
C Ten permanent members and five elected members
D Fifteen permanent members
Answer: Five permanent members and ten elected members. Article 23 provides for five permanent and ten non-permanent Council members.
How are the Council’s ten non-permanent seats allocated?
A Only by GDP ranking
B With regard to equitable geographical distribution
C Only by population size
D By permanent-member nomination
Answer: With regard to equitable geographical distribution. The Charter directs the election to give due regard to equitable geographical distribution.
How does a permanent member’s abstention differ from a veto?
A An abstention automatically blocks the draft
B An abstention dissolves the Council
C An abstention is not a negative veto vote
D An abstention counts as two votes
Answer: An abstention is not a negative veto vote. A permanent member’s abstention is not the same as a negative vote that exercises the veto.
What happens when a permanent member casts a negative vote on a substantive draft?
A It is automatically sent to the ICJ
B The vote becomes procedural
C It is adopted if one elected member objects
D The draft is not adopted
Answer: The draft is not adopted. A negative vote by one permanent member blocks adoption of a substantive draft resolution.
Which Council decisions require nine affirmative votes under Article 27?
A Both procedural decisions and substantive decisions, with a further P5 rule for the latter
B Only decisions of the General Assembly
C Only elections to the ICJ
D Only votes on the UN budget
Answer: Both procedural decisions and substantive decisions, with a further P5 rule for the latter. Article 27 requires nine affirmative votes; substantive matters also require no permanent-member negative vote.
What does Article 34 empower the Council to do?
A Elect the Secretary-General directly
B Investigate disputes or situations that may lead to international friction
C Adopt the UN budget
D Write international labour standards
Answer: Investigate disputes or situations that may lead to international friction. Article 34 allows the Council to investigate disputes or situations that could endanger peace.
Under Article 35, who may bring a dispute or situation to the Council’s attention?
A Only a permanent Council member
B Only the Secretary-General
C A UN Member State
D Only the ICJ
Answer: A UN Member State. Article 35 permits a UN Member State to bring a dispute or situation to the Council’s attention.
How often is a non-permanent member elected to a two-year Council term?
A By the Security Council itself
B By a popular world vote
C By the Secretary-General
D By the General Assembly
Answer: By the General Assembly. The General Assembly elects each non-permanent member for a two-year term.
Which organ’s decision can bind UN members under Article 25?
A Security Council
B UNESCO
C International Court of Justice in every advisory opinion
D ECOSOC
Answer: Security Council. Article 25 requires members to accept and carry out Security Council decisions.
What is the Security Council’s main purpose under the Charter?
A Coordinate global postal services
B Maintain international peace and security
C Manage world heritage sites
D Set standards for civil aviation
Answer: Maintain international peace and security. Maintaining international peace and security is the Council’s central Charter responsibility.
What is the Council’s presidency?
A A permanent office held by the Secretary-General
B A five-year post elected by the General Assembly
C A rotating monthly role held by one Council member
D A position shared only by permanent members
Answer: A rotating monthly role held by one Council member. The Security Council presidency rotates every month among the Council’s members.
Which statement about the Council’s five permanent members is correct?
A They are elected for two-year terms
B They have no special voting rule
C They each appoint two judges to the ICJ
D They have permanent seats and special voting power on substantive matters
Answer: They have permanent seats and special voting power on substantive matters. The five permanent members have permanent seats and the Charter’s veto rule on substantive matters.
What is the Council’s role in recommending new UN Member States?
A It recommends admission to the General Assembly
B It admits members by itself
C It asks the WTO to approve membership
D It asks the ICJ to issue a permit
Answer: It recommends admission to the General Assembly. A state is admitted by the General Assembly upon a Security Council recommendation.
What is the Security Council’s relationship to UN peacekeeping?
A It has no role in UN peace operations
B It can authorize peace operations as part of its peace-and-security work
C It appoints the heads of all national armies
D It runs every humanitarian agency
Answer: It can authorize peace operations as part of its peace-and-security work. The Council has authorized many UN peace operations as part of its work to maintain peace and security.
Which of these is a permanent Security Council member?
A Brazil
B South Africa
C Russian Federation
D Spain
Answer: Russian Federation. The Russian Federation holds one of the five permanent seats.
Which of these is a permanent Security Council member?
A Japan
B Canada
C Mexico
D United Kingdom
Answer: United Kingdom. The United Kingdom is one of the Council’s five permanent members.
Which of these is a permanent Security Council member?
A United States
B India
C Australia
D Nigeria
Answer: United States. The United States is one of the five permanent members.
How many elected seats are there on the Council?
A Five
B Ten
C Four
D Twenty
Answer: Ten. Ten members are elected to the Council for two-year terms.
Which two UN organs elect the International Court of Justice judges?
A Security Council and ECOSOC
B Secretariat and General Assembly
C General Assembly and Security Council
D World Bank and Security Council
Answer: General Assembly and Security Council. Both the General Assembly and Security Council elect ICJ judges.
To which organ does the Security Council submit annual and special reports?
A International Court of Justice
B WTO
C General Assembly
D ILO
Answer: General Assembly. The Charter provides for the Council to submit annual and, when necessary, special reports to the General Assembly.