Rules of Procedure of the General Assembly
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| Rules of Procedure of the General Assembly | |
|---|---|
| Name | Rules of Procedure of the General Assembly |
| Formation | 1946 |
| Jurisdiction | International |
| Parent organization | United Nations |
| Headquarters | New York City |
Rules of Procedure of the General Assembly The Rules of Procedure of the General Assembly set the formal protocols that govern the work of the United Nations General Assembly, linking procedural practice to foundational instruments such as the United Nations Charter, the Declaration of Human Rights, and precedents from the San Francisco Conference and the Yalta Conference. They operate alongside norms developed in sessions presided over by figures like Dag Hammarskjöld and Boutros Boutros-Ghali and interact with decisions from bodies including the Security Council, the International Court of Justice, and the Economic and Social Council.
Overview and legal basis
The legal basis derives from the United Nations Charter articles on the United Nations General Assembly and institutional interpretations articulated by successive Presidents of the United Nations General Assembly and legal advisers referencing precedents from the Nuremberg Trials and the advisory opinions of the International Court of Justice. The Rules are promulgated by the Assembly under authority similar to procedural norms applied in the League of Nations era and informed by practice involving delegations from states such as United States, Soviet Union, United Kingdom, France, and China at pivotal moments including the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Korean War debates. They also reflect commitments found in multilateral instruments like the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and treaty practices showcased in the Treaty of Versailles and the Geneva Conventions.
Membership, representation and credentials
Provisions address credentials of representatives from member states—ranging from founding members like United Kingdom and China to later acceding states such as South Africa, Germany, and India—and accommodate observers including entities like the Holy See, the State of Palestine, and delegations from regional organizations such as the European Union and the African Union. Rules delineate seating, voting entitlement, and quorum requirements influenced by disputes involving Israel, Palestine Liberation Organization, South Africa apartheid-era challenges, and Cold War contests between United States and Soviet Union. Credential challenges can invoke committees and refer to precedents from sessions presided over by individuals such as Trygve Lie and U Thant.
Agenda, sessions and voting procedures
The Rules prescribe how the agenda is adopted, amendments are proposed, and plenary sessions—including regular sessions, special sessions, and emergency special sessions—are convened under triggers similar to those used during the Suez Crisis and the Six-Day War. Voting procedures specify distinctions among simple majority, two-thirds majority, and consensus practices; these processes have been tested in resolutions relating to Decolonization, Apartheid, and sanctions debates involving Iraq and Libya. The Rules also integrate voting records, roll-call voting, and procedures for drafting resolutions and decisions that reference parliamentary practice comparable to that used in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the European Parliament.
Speaking rights, languages and records
Provisions govern the right to speak, time limits, and language arrangements accommodating the six official languages of the Assembly—Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish—with interpretation protocols shaped by logistical lessons from multilingual forums such as the International Criminal Court and the World Health Organization. Records, verbatim transcripts, and verbalia practices connect to archival standards like those of the United Nations Archives and citation norms used by the International Court of Justice and the Permanent Court of Arbitration.
Committees, subsidiary bodies and procedures
The Rules set out composition and procedures for Main Committees (First Committee on disarmament, Second Committee on economic and financial matters) and subsidiary organs such as the Human Rights Council-related mechanisms, ad hoc committees on issues like Decolonization, and budgetary bodies including the United Nations Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions and the General Committee. They also regulate relationships with specialized agencies such as the International Labour Organization, United Nations Children's Fund, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, and procedures for expert missions, fact-finding commissions, and inquiry panels comparable to those used in investigations like the Oil-for-Food Programme inquiries.
Amendments, revisions and interpretation
Amendment procedures specify proposals, referral to committees, and adoption thresholds that have been applied in past reforms endorsed by Assemblies influenced by leaders such as Kofi Annan, Ban Ki-moon, and António Guterres, and intersect with broader reform campaigns including those addressing Security Council reform and budgetary oversight in response to crises like the Rwandan Genocide and the Bosnian War. Interpretation and authoritative guidance rest with the Assembly, its President, and legal advisers, drawing on jurisprudence from the International Court of Justice and historical practice from constitutional precedents exemplified by the Magna Carta and the Treaty of Westphalia.