What is Veto Power of UNSC?
The veto power of the UN Security Council is a unique and often controversial mechanism.
Who has it?
The five permanent members of the UNSC: China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
These countries hold their permanent seats based on their role in creating the UN after World War II and their status as nuclear-weapon states.
What does it do?
Allows these five countries to block any "substantive" resolution presented to the UNSC.
This includes decisions on:
Authorizing military action
Imposing sanctions
Admitting new UN members
Appointing the UN Secretary-General
How does it work?
Any resolution needs nine votes in favor out of 15 to pass.
But if one permanent member casts a veto, the resolution fails.
Abstention or absence does not block a resolution.
Why in news
The resolution, prepared by Algeria, had called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire; Washington says pact would put ‘sensitive negotiations in jeopardy’ risking the release of hostages.
The United States vetoed a UN Security Council resolution on Tuesday that called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, even as President Joe Biden faced mounting pressure to dial back support for Israel.
The resolution, which Algeria had been working on for three weeks, had demanded “an immediate humanitarian ceasefire that must be respected by all parties.
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