Higher Institute of Human Sciences, Tunis

Department of English
First semester

MA in English and International Relations (First Year)

International Organizations (I)
Theme 2: The UN and international security1

The UN does this by working to prevent conflict; helping parties in conflict make peace;
peacekeeping; and creating the conditions to allow peace to hold and flourish.

The UN Security Council has the primary responsibility for international peace and security.
The General Assembly and the Secretary-General play major, important, and
complementary roles, along with other UN offices and bodies

Preamble of the UNC:

“To unite our strength to maintain international peace and security”
Article 1 UNC: Purposes
The Purposes of the United Nations are: 1. “To maintain international peace and security, and to
that end: to take effective collective measures for the prevention and removal of threats to the peace,
and for the suppression of acts of aggression or other breaches of the peace, and to bring about by
peaceful means, and in conformity with the principles of justice and international law, adjustment or
settlement of international disputes or situations which might lead to a breach of the peace;”
Article 2: Principles
3. “All Members shall settle their international disputes by peaceful means in such a manner that
international peace and security, and justice, are not endangered”.
UN actors for maintaining international peace and security
1- The Security Council’s primary role to maintain international peace and security under
chapter VII of the UNC.

2- UN complementary mechanisms to maintain international peace and security

General Assembly, Preventive Diplomacy and Mediation, Peacekeeping, Peacebuilding,

Countering Terrorism, Disarmament.

1
With reference to the course outline this is Part I: Universal international organizations (I): The United Nations
system: (1): The United Nations Organization (a): The main organs, the role of main organs in maintaining
international peace and security.