World Peace and the Role of United Nations Security Council

Shahzad Akhtar, Muhammad Ajmal and Waqas Iqbal

Abstract

The preamble of the United Nations Charter states the aim of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) as, “to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war” and entrust the responsibility of dealing with the challenges facing international peace. However, the structural weaknesses of the Council at the time of its foundation along with the ones it acquired over time, denied the Council its due role. This study aims to summarize the weaknesses of the UNSC and identifies four areas of concern: (i) Setbacks of the Veto Power and the influence on World Peace, (ii) Lacklustre Performance of the Security Council in the Pacific Settlement of Inter-State Disputes, (iii) Violation of the UN Charter by the Security Council Members, and (iv) Legitimacy and Democratic Merit of the Security Council. The paper concludes with suggestions for a way forward, which includes an urgent call for restructuring the Council in terms of inclusiveness, fair international representation, and neutrality in its procedures and services.