The UN General Assembly




Like the UN Security Council, it is necessary to understand the composition and role of the United Nations for many debate rounds. One of the most important bodies besides the Security Council is the General Assembly.


  • The UN is a platform of global leaders to debate, discussion, and argue the world's most pressing issues to develop peace and security. 
  • The UN general assembly is the only universally representative body in the United Nations
  • The other major bodies in the UN are the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council, the Secretariat, and the International Court of Justice. 
  • The General Assembly is designed to debate, discuss, and make recommendations on various subjects.
  • The General Assembly has a multitude of functions including approving the UN budget. 
  • The General Assembly has 193 member states each with a vote. 
  • The President of the Assembly changes with each session and the current President is Maria Fernanda Espinosa Graces, Ecuador's foreign affairs minister. 
  • Taiwan has been denied UN memberships because of China 
  • The United Nation has two nonmember observer states--Palestine and the Vatican City 
  • Many experts and the lead donor nations argue that the General Assembly is in need of reform. Much of the Assembly focuses on insufficient deliberation rather than genuine discussion and passing the best policies. 
  • The General Assembly can punish states for violating the UN charter. In 1960, the GA punished South Africa because the country still used the apartheid system. 
  • Following the Crimean vote to leave Ukraine and join Russian in 2014, the UN General Assembly voted 100-11 to consider the vote invalid. 
  • The UN General Assembly is not built for action rather discussion; however, there are significant documents that resulted from the GA 
    • Universal Declaration of Human Rights -- proclaims standards for human rights and inherent dignity of all individuals 
    • Uniting for Peace Resolution -- if the UN Security Council fails to maintain peace, the GA can call for collective action. In the Suez Crisis of 1956, the GA acted under this resolution. 
    • Millennium Declaration -- Millennium Development Goals which created measurable goals for reducing poverty and stopping the spread of diseases. 
    • Zionism is Racism Declaration -- passed in 1975, declared that Zionism is racism; however, the declaration was repealed in 1947
Additional Resources: 



Debate Motions: 

This House regrets a world with the UN. 

This House would abolish the UN. 

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