Context:
Indian officials briefed the monitoring team of the UNSC’s 1267 Sanctions Committee on the activities of The Resistance Front (TRF)
UNSC 1267 Sanctions Committee:
- Establishment: Formed in 1999 under Resolution 1267, initially targeting the Taliban.
- Evolution: Strengthened post 9/11 attacks; now known as the Da’esh and Al-Qaeda Sanctions Committee.
- Composition: Includes all permanent and non-permanent members of the UN Security Council.
- Purpose:
- Maintains a global list of terrorists with a UNSC stamp.
- Focuses on counter-terrorism, particularly against Al-Qaeda and ISIL (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant).
- Implements travel bans, asset freezes, and arms embargoes against designated individuals and entities.
- Decision-Making: Consensus-based; any P5 member can block a listing.
- India has repeatedly attempted to list certain individuals as global terrorists, facing opposition from China.
United Nations Security Council (UNSC):
- Formation: Established under the UN Charter in 1945.
- Composition – 15 members: 5 permanent (P5) and 10 non-permanent.
- Permanent Members: China, France, Russia, UK, USA.
- Non-Permanent Members: Elected for two-year terms by the General Assembly.
- Functions:
- Maintains international peace and security.
- Legally binding resolutions (unlike UNGA resolutions).
- Sanctions regimes to enforce peace and security.
- Decision-Making: Requires minimum 9 votes to adopt a resolution.
- P5 members have veto power—any negative vote from them blocks a resolution.
- Sanctions Committees – UNSC has 14 active sanctions regimes
Source: HT
Previous Year Question
With reference to the “United Nations Credentials Committee”, consider the following statements:
1. It is a committee set up by the UN Security Council and works under its supervision.
2. It traditionally meets in March, June and September every year.
3. It assesses the credentials of all UN members before submitting a report to the General Assembly for approval.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2022 Prelims]
(a) 3 only
(b) 1 and 3
(c) 2 and 3
(d) 1 and 2
Answer: (a)
Explanation:
A Credentials Committee is appointed at the beginning of each regular session of the General Assembly. Usually, the committee meets in November, with the report presented before the general body in December.