Photo credit: UN Photo/Devra Berkowitz.
United Nations Security Council
Abbreviations
UNSC; SC
Summary
Charged with maintenance of peace and security, the Security Council is a principal organ of the United Nations and has established numerous anti-terrorism sanctions and other standards incumbent on member states. For instance, the Council has established three dedicated counterterrorism bodies: the al-Qaeda Sanctions Committee, the Counter-Terrorism Committee, and the 1540 Committee. The Security Council established the three bodies through various resolutions, and the mandate of each body varies given the specific Security Council resolution that created the committee. The committees and their expert groups coordinate and collaborate on the development of international counterterrorism laws, policies, and practices. The membership of each committee includes all fifteen members of the Security Council, and one of those fifteen members serves as the chair of the committee.
Composition
The Council comprises fifteen UN member states, including ten that serve on a non-permanent basis and five permanent members (China, France, Russia, the U.K., and the U.S.).
Website
Entry last updated: February 2015.