United Nations General Assembly

The United Nations General Assembly (GA) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations. It is made up of all United Nations member states and meets in regular yearly sessions under a president elected from among the representatives.

Overview

For two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly, see:

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• General Assembly members
• General Assembly observers

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The GA's regular annual session usually begins on the third Tuesday in September and ends in mid-December, with the President of the General Assembly being elected at the beginning of each session. The first session was convened on 10 January 1946 in the Westminster Central Hall in London and included representatives of 51 nations.

Related Topics:
President of the General Assembly - 10 January - 1946 - Westminster Central Hall - London

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Voting in the General Assembly on important questions - recommendations on peace and security; election of members to organs; admission, suspension, and expulsion of members; budgetary matters - is by a two-thirds majority of those present and voting. Other questions are decided by majority vote. Each member country has one vote. Apart from approval of budgetary matters, including adoption of a scale of assessment, Assembly resolutions are not binding on the members. The Assembly may make recommendations on any matters within the scope of the UN, except matters of peace and security under Security Council consideration.

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During the 1980s, the Assembly became a forum for the North-South dialogue - the discussion of issues between industrialized nations and developing countries. These issues came to the fore because of the phenomenal growth and changing makeup of the UN membership. In 1945, the UN had 51 members. It now has 191, of which more than two-thirds are developing countries. Because of their numbers, developing countries are often able to determine the agenda of the Assembly (using coordinating groups like the G77), the character of its debates, and the nature of its decisions. For many developing countries, the UN is the source of much of their diplomatic influence and the principal outlet for their foreign relations initiatives.

Related Topics:
1980s - 1945 - Developing countries - G77

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