Difference between revisions of "Congress of Nations"

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	|languages_type    = Official languages		|languages_type    = Official languages
	|languages          = {{hlist|English|French|Spanish|Wadiyan|German|Norwegian|Dutch}}		|languages          = {{hlist|English|French|Spanish|Wadiyan|German|Norwegian|Dutch}}
−	|leader_title1      = {{nowrap|President of the CON}}	+	|leader_title1      = {{nowrap|[[President of the Congress of Nations|President]]}}
−	|leader_name1      = Joseph E. Corbell, [[Gulf Empire]]	+	|leader_name1      = [[Joseph Corbell|Joseph E. Corbell]], [[Nation/The_Gulf_Empire|Gulf Empire]]
	|leader_title2      = President of the IS		|leader_title2      = President of the IS
−	|leader_name2      = Chris Logg, [[Rizealand]]	+	|leader_name2      = Chris Logg, [[Nation/Rizealand|Rizealand]]
	|leader_title3      = President of the International People's Assembly		|leader_title3      = President of the International People's Assembly
−	|leader_name3      = Dr. Isaac Chase III, [[Rizealand]]	+	|leader_name3      = Dr. Isaac Chase III, [[Nation/Rizealand|Rizealand]]
	|established_event1 = {{nowrap|CON Charter signed}}		|established_event1 = {{nowrap|CON Charter signed}}
	|established_date1  = Jan 5, 2014		|established_date1  = Jan 5, 2014
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	}}		}}
−	== WORK IN PROGRESS ==	+	The '''Congress of Nations (CON)''' is an intergovernmental organization established in early 2014 by the Bagropa Convention in [[Nation/Rizealand|Rizealand]]. Its mission has been to further world peace, cooperation, and trade through diplomacy and improved world relations. It was primarily an alternative for the [[World Assembly]] which was becoming very abrasive to some nations. Originally formed by Texas, Rizealand, and the Gulf Empire, it has risen to 13 members and has begun to start taking its place among the governments of the world. The CON was patterned in part after the United Nations, European Union, and government of the United States. It is composed of two legislative organs, the International Senate and International People's Assembly and has a Secretariat charged with enforcing laws, presided over by the President of the CON. It also has judicial powers too in the form of the International Supreme Court, International Courts of Justice, and International Courts of Appeal. Some of the biggest changes in its structure include a popularly elected legislative organ (the International People's Assembly), a strong chief executive (the President of the CON), a global currency, and a standing international military for peacekeeping purposes. The meeting places of the CON have been split up between Rizealand, Texas, and the Gulf Empire.
−		+
−		+
−	The '''United Nations''' ('''UN''') is an [[intergovernmental organization]] established on 24 October 1945 to promote international co-operation. A replacement for the ineffective [[League of Nations]], the organization was created following the [[Second World War]] to prevent another such conflict. At its founding, the UN had 51 [[Member states of the United Nations|member states]]; there are now 193. The [[United Nations Headquarters|UN Headquarters]] resides in international territory in [[Manhattan]], [[New York City]], with further main offices in [[United Nations Office at Geneva|Geneva]], [[United Nations Office at Nairobi|Nairobi]], and [[United Nations Office at Vienna|Vienna]]. The organization is financed by assessed and voluntary contributions from its member states. Its objectives include maintaining international peace and security, promoting human rights, fostering social and economic development, protecting the environment, and providing humanitarian aid in cases of famine, natural disaster, and armed conflict.	+
−		+
−	During the Second World War, US President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] initiated talks on a successor agency to the League of Nations, and the [[United Nations Charter]] was drafted at [[United Nations Conference on International Organization|a conference]] in April–June 1945; this charter took effect on 24 October 1945, and the UN began operation. The UN's mission to preserve world peace was complicated in its early decades by the [[Cold War]] between the US and Soviet Union and their respective allies. The organization participated in major actions in [[Korean War|Korea]] and [[United Nations Operation in the Congo|the Congo]], as well as approving the creation of the state of Israel in 1947. The organization's membership grew significantly following widespread [[decolonization]] in the 1960s, and by the 1970s its budget for economic and social development programmes far outstripped its spending on [[peacekeeping]]. After the end of the Cold War, the UN took on major military and peacekeeping missions across the world with varying degrees of success.	+
−		+
−	The UN has six principal organs: the [[United Nations General Assembly|General Assembly]] (the main deliberative assembly); the [[United Nations Security Council|Security Council]] (for deciding certain resolutions for peace and security); the [[United Nations Economic and Social Council|Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)]] (for promoting international economic and social co-operation and development); the [[United Nations Secretariat|Secretariat]] (for providing studies, information, and facilities needed by the UN); the [[International Court of Justice]] (the primary judicial organ); and the [[United Nations Trusteeship Council]] (inactive since 1994). [[United Nations System|UN System]] agencies include the [[World Bank Group]], the [[World Health Organization]], the [[World Food Programme]], [[UNESCO]], and [[UNICEF]]. The UN's most prominent officer is the [[Secretary-General of the United Nations|Secretary-General]], an office held by South Korean [[Ban Ki-moon]] since 2007. Non-governmental organizations may be granted consultative status with ECOSOC and other agencies to participate in the UN's work.	+
−		+
−	The organization won the [[Nobel Peace Prize]] in 2001, and a number of its officers and agencies have also been awarded the prize. Other evaluations of the UN's effectiveness have been mixed. Some commentators believe the organization to be an important force for peace and human development, while others have called the organization ineffective, corrupt, or biased.	+
	==History==		==History==
−	{{Main|History of the United Nations}}	+	The Congress of Nations was first conceived by President Dominique Horiatio of the [[Nation/Rizealand|Federation of Rizealand]] and his Secretary of Foreign Relations, Rebecka Abott, in late December of 2013, they called together an international conference in Bagropa, Rizealand to discuss the creation a new international organization. The United Nations had already collapsed by 2008 and was replaced by the [[World Assembly]]. However, the World Assembly really only favored larger nations and it did not give enough support to role players, favoring huge regions and gameplay scenarios. The Bagropa Convention was originally made up of representatives from the Federation of Rizealand, Republic of Texas, and the Gulf Empire. These three, known as the "Big Three" decided to draft a new charter for an organization they would call, the Congress of Nations. They decided to craft it have a much more powerful structure then the UN or the even weaker WA while also following some of the old molds of those organizations as well. Rizealand eventually invited Roxia and San Andreas to the convention while the Gulf Empire invited Wadiya and Sunlaya and Texas invited Trafalgar and Dido Place. On January 5, 2014, the Charter was completed and presented to the member nations who ratified it soon after on February 5. Since then, the Congress of Nations has grown to 13 members and bought its own structures.
−	[[File:Chile signs UN Charter 1945.jpg|thumb|The [[Chile]]an delegation signing the [[United Nations Charter|UN Charter]] in San Francisco, 1945]]	+
−		+
−	===Background and creation===	+
−	In the century prior to the UN's creation, several international treaty organizations and conferences had been formed to regulate conflicts between nations, such as the [[International Committee of the Red Cross]] and the [[Hague Conventions of 1899 and 1907]].<ref>Kennedy, p. 5</ref> Following the catastrophic loss of life in the [[First World War]], the [[Paris Peace Conference, 1919|Paris Peace Conference]] established the [[League of Nations]] to maintain harmony between countries.<ref>Kennedy, p. 8</ref> This organization resolved some territorial disputes and created international structures for areas such as postal mail, aviation, and opium control, some of which would later be absorbed into the UN.<ref>Kennedy, p. 10</ref> However, the League lacked representation for colonial peoples (then half the world's population) and significant participation from several major powers, including the US, USSR, Germany, and Japan; it failed to act against the [[Japanese invasion of Manchuria]] in 1931, the [[Second Italo-Ethiopian War]] in 1935, the [[Japanese invasion of China]] in 1937, and German expansions under [[Adolf Hitler]] that culminated in the [[Second World War]].<ref>Kennedy, pp. 13–24</ref>	+
−		+
−	The earliest concrete plan for a new world organization began under the aegis of the [[US State Department]] in 1939. US President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] first coined the term ''United Nations'' to describe the [[Allies of World War II|Allied countries]].{{efn|Roosevelt suggested the name as an alternative to the name "Associated Powers." The British Prime Minister, [[Winston Churchill]], accepted it, noting that the phase was used by [[Lord Byron]] in the poem ''[[Childe Harold's Pilgrimage]]'' (Stanza 35).<ref>Manchester and Reid, p. 461</ref>}} The term was first officially used on 1 January 1942, when 26 governments signed the [[Atlantic Charter]].<ref>Mires, p. 15</ref> On 25 April 1945, the [[United Nations Conference on International Organization|UN Conference on International Organization]] began in San Francisco, attended by 50 governments and a number of non-governmental organizations involved in drafting the [[United Nations Charter]]. The UN officially came into existence on 24 October 1945 upon ratification of the Charter by the five then-permanent members of the Security Council—France, the [[Republic of China (1912–1949)|Republic of China]], the Soviet Union, the UK and the US—and by a majority of the other 46 signatories.<ref name=unmilestones />	+
−		+
−	The first meetings of the General Assembly, with 51 nations represented,{{efn|Poland had not been represented among the fifty nations at the San Francisco conference due to the reluctance of the Western superpowers to recognize its post-war communist government. However, the Charter was later amended to list Poland as a founding member, and Poland ratified the Charter on 16 October 1945.<ref>Grant, pp. 25–26</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.msz.gov.pl/en/foreign_policy/international_organisations/united_nations/poland_and_the_un/ |title=Poland and the United Nations |publisher=Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland |accessdate=29 November 2013}}</ref>}} and the Security Council took place in [[Methodist Central Hall Westminster]] in London beginning 6 January 1946.<ref name=unmilestones>{{cite web |url=http://www.un.org/aboutun/milestones.htm |title=Milestones in United Nations History |publisher=Department of Public Information, United Nations |accessdate=22 November 2013}}</ref> The General Assembly selected New York City as the site for [[United Nations Headquarters]], and the facility was completed in 1952. Its site—like UN headquarters buildings in [[Geneva]], [[Vienna]], and [[Nairobi]]—is designated as [[international territory]].<ref>Fomerand, pp. 149–151</ref> The Norwegian Foreign Minister, [[Trygve Lie]], was elected as the first UN Secretary-General.<ref name=unmilestones />	+
−		+
−	===Cold War era===	+
−	[[Image:Dag Hammarskjold.jpg|thumb|[[Dag Hammarskjöld]] was a particularly active Secretary-General from 1953 until his death in 1961.]]	+
−	Though the UN's primary mandate was [[peacekeeping]], the division between the US and USSR often paralysed the organization, generally allowing it to intervene only in conflicts distant from the [[Cold War]].<ref>Meisler, p. 35</ref> (A notable exception was a Security Council resolution in 1950 authorizing a US-led coalition to repel the [[Korean War|North Korean invasion of South Korea]], passed in the absence of the USSR.)<ref name=unmilestones /><ref>Meisler, pp. 58–59</ref> In 1947, the General Assembly approved a resolution to partition [[Palestine]], approving the creation of the state of [[Israel]]. Two years later, [[Ralph Bunche]], a UN official, negotiated an armistice to the resulting conflict.<ref>Meisler, pp. 51–54</ref> In 1956, the [[United Nations Emergency Force|first UN peacekeeping force]] was established to end the [[Suez Crisis]];<ref name=unmilestones /> however, the UN was unable to intervene against the USSR's simultaneous invasion of Hungary following [[Hungarian Revolution of 1956|that country's revolution]].<ref>Meisler, p. 114</ref>	+
−		+
−	In 1960, the UN deployed [[United Nations Operation in the Congo]] (UNOC), the largest military force of its early decades, to bring order to the breakaway [[State of Katanga]], restoring it to the control of the [[Democratic Republic of the Congo]] by 1964.<ref>Meisler, pp. 115–134</ref> While travelling to meet with rebel leader [[Moise Tshombe]] during the conflict, [[Dag Hammarskjöld]], often named as one of the UN's most effective Secretaries-General,<ref>See Meisler, p. 76; Kennedy, p. 60; Fasulo, pp. 17, 20</ref> died in a plane crash; months later he was posthumously awarded the [[Nobel Peace Prize]].<ref>Meisler, pp. 127–28, 134</ref> In 1964, Hammarskjöld's successor, [[U Thant]], deployed the [[United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus]], which would become one of the UN's longest-running peacekeeping missions.<ref>Meisler, pp. 156–57</ref>	+
−		+
−	With the spread of [[decolonization]] in the 1960s, the organization's membership saw an influx of newly independent nations. In 1960 alone, 17 new states joined the UN, 16 of them from Africa.<ref name=unmilestones /> On 25 October 1971, with opposition from the United States, but with the support of many [[Third World]] nations, the mainland, communist [[China|People's Republic of China]] was given the Chinese seat on the Security Council in place of the [[Taiwan|Republic of China]] that occupied Taiwan; the vote was widely seen as a sign of waning US influence in the organization.<ref>Meisler, pp. 195–97</ref> Third World nations organized into the [[Group of 77]] coalition under the leadership of Algeria, which briefly became a dominant power at the UN.<ref>Meisler, pp. 208–10</ref> In 1975, a bloc comprising the USSR and Third World nations passed [[United Nations General Assembly Resolution 3379|a resolution]], over strenuous US and Israeli opposition, declaring [[Zionism]] to be racism; the resolution was repealed in 1991, shortly after the end of the Cold War.<ref>Meisler, pp. 204–26, 213, 220–21</ref>	+
−		+
−	With an increasing Third World presence and the failure of UN mediation in conflicts in the [[Six-Day War|Middle East]], [[Vietnam War|Vietnam]], and [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1965|Kashmir]], the UN increasingly shifted its attention to its ostensibly secondary goals of economic development and cultural exchange.<ref>Meisler, pp. 167–68, 224–25</ref> By the 1970s, the UN budget for social and economic development was far greater than its peacekeeping budget.	+
−		+
−	===Post-Cold War===	+
−	[[File:Kofi Annan.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Kofi Annan]], Secretary-General from 1997 to 2006]]	+
−	After the Cold War, the UN saw a radical expansion in its peacekeeping duties, taking on more missions in ten years than it had in the previous four decades.<ref>Meisler, p. 286</ref> Between 1988 and 2000, the number of adopted Security Council resolutions more than doubled, and the peacekeeping budget increased more than tenfold.<ref>Fasulo, p. 43; Meisler, p. 334</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.globalpolicy.org/images/pdfs/Z/pk_tables/expend.pdf|type=pdf|title=Peacekeeping Operations Expenditures: 1947–2005|last=Renner|first=Michael|website=[[Global Policy Forum]]}}</ref> The UN negotiated an end to the [[Salvadoran Civil War]], launched a successful [[United Nations Transition Assistance Group|peacekeeping mission in Namibia]], and oversaw democratic elections in post-[[Apartheid in South Africa|apartheid]] South Africa and post-[[Khmer Rouge]] Cambodia.<ref>Meisler, pp. 252–56</ref> In 1991, the UN authorized a [[Gulf War|US-led coalition]] that repulsed the Iraqi [[invasion of Kuwait]].<ref>Meisler, pp. 264–77</ref> [[Brian Urquhart]], Under-Secretary-General from 1971 to 1985, later described the hopes raised by these successes as a "false renaissance" for the organization, given the more troubled missions that followed.<ref>Meisler, p. 334</ref>	+
−		+
−	Though the UN Charter had been written primarily to prevent aggression by one nation against another, in the early 1990s the UN faced a number of simultaneous, serious crises within nations such as Somalia, Haiti, Mozambique, and the former Yugoslavia.<ref>Kennedy, pp. 66–67</ref> The [[United Nations Operation in Somalia II|UN mission in Somalia]] was widely viewed as a failure after the US withdrawal following casualties in the [[Battle of Mogadishu (1993)|Battle of Mogadishu]], and the [[United Nations Protection Force|UN mission to Bosnia]] faced "worldwide ridicule" for its indecisive and confused mission in the face of ethnic cleansing.<ref>For quotation "worldwide ridicule", see Meisler, p. 293; for description of UN missions in Somalia and Bosnia, see Meisler, pp. 312–29.</ref> In 1994, the [[United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda]] failed to intervene in the [[Rwandan Genocide]] amid indecision in the Security Council.<ref>Kennedy, p. 104</ref>	+
−		+
−	Beginning in the last decades of the Cold War, American and European critics of the UN condemned the organization for perceived mismanagement and corruption.<ref>Meisler, pp. 226–227</ref> In 1984, the US President, [[Ronald Reagan]], withdrew his nation's funding from [[UNESCO]] (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, founded 1946) over allegations of mismanagement, followed by Britain and Singapore.<ref>Meisler, pp. 234–37</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Lewis |first=Paul |date=6 August 1996 |title=Jean Gerard, 58, Reagan Envoy Who Led U.S. to Leave Unesco |url=http://www.nytimes.com/1996/08/06/world/jean-gerard-58-reagan-envoy-who-led-us-to-leave-unesco.html |newspaper=New York Times |accessdate=6 January 2014 }}</ref> [[Boutros Boutros-Ghali]], Secretary-General from 1992 to 1996, initiated a reform of the Secretariat, reducing the size of the organization somewhat.<ref>Meisler, pp. 285–86</ref><ref name=NST /> His successor, [[Kofi Annan]] (1997–2006), initiated further management reforms in the face of threats from the United States to withhold its UN dues.<ref name=NST>{{cite web |url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1309&dat=19980116&id=TvxOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=-BQEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4023,6546189 |title=Are UN reforms just reshuffling of the deck? |date=16 January 1998 |work=New Straits Times |accessdate=5 November 2013}}</ref>	+
−		+
−	In the late 1990s and 2000s, international interventions authorized by the UN took a wider variety of forms. The [[United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone|UN mission]] in the [[Sierra Leone Civil War]] of 1991–2002 was supplemented by British [[Royal Marines]], and the [[War in Afghanistan (2001–present)|invasion of Afghanistan in 2001]] was overseen by [[NATO]].<ref>Kennedy, pp. 110–11</ref> In 2003, the United States [[Iraq War|invaded Iraq]] despite failing to pass a UN Security Council resolution for authorization, prompting a new round of questioning of the organization's effectiveness.<ref>Kennedy, p. 111</ref> Under the current Secretary-General, [[Ban Ki-moon]], the UN has intervened with peacekeepers in crises including the [[War in Darfur]] in Sudan and the [[Kivu conflict]] in the Democratic Republic of Congo and sent observers and chemical weapons inspectors to the [[Syrian Civil War]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/08/world/meast/syria-civil-war/ |title=Syria: Chemical weapons team faces many dangers, says U.N. chief Ban |author=Smith-Spark, Laura |date=8 October 2013 |publisher=CNN |accessdate=18 November 2013}}</ref> In 2013, [[Secretary-General's Internal Review Panel on United Nations Action in Sri Lanka|an internal review]] of UN actions in [[Alleged war crimes during the final stages of the Sri Lankan Civil War|the final battles]] of the [[Sri Lankan Civil War]] in 2009 concluded that the organization had suffered "systemic failure".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.firstpost.com/world/un-failed-during-final-days-of-lankan-ethnic-war-ban-ki-moon-1133061.html |title=UN failed during final days of Lankan ethnic war: Ban Ki-moon |agency=Press Trust of India |date=25 September 2013 |work=FirstPost |accessdate=5 November 2013}}</ref> One hundred and one UN personnel died in the [[2010 Haiti earthquake]], the worst loss of life in the organization's history.<ref name=unmilestones />	+
	==Structure==		==Structure==
−	{{Main|United Nations System}}	+	The organization of the Congress of Nations was based partially on the United Nations, United States, European Union, and World Assembly. Legislative powers were vested in two organs, like the US, UN, and EU. One organ, resembling the US Senate, Security Council, and Council of Europe, was named the International Senate and was given a lot of power, with its members being appointed by the national governments. The second organ, the International People's Assembly (IPA), was a large lower organ resembling the EU Parliament in which its members would be elected by popular vote rather than appointed. Smaller nations would have an advantage in the International Senate (IS) but larger nations would have an advantage in the IPA, serving as a balance and check. All executive powers were vested in a Secretariat led by the President, who were all chosen by the CON as a whole and by the IS. Lastly, powers was also vested in a system of international courts and an international bank and military force were also applied.
−	The United Nations' system is based on five principal organs: the [[United Nations General Assembly|General Assembly]], the [[United Nations Security Council|Security Council]], the [[United Nations Economic and Social Council|Economic and Social Council]] (ECOSOC), the [[United Nations Secretariat|Secretariat]], and the [[International Court of Justice]].<ref>Fasulo, pp. 3–4</ref> A sixth principal organ, the [[United Nations Trusteeship Council|Trusteeship Council]], suspended operations in 1994, upon the independence of [[Palau]], the last remaining UN trustee territory.<ref>Fasulo, p. 8</ref>	+
−	Four of the five principal organs are located at the main UN Headquarters in New York City.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://visit.un.org/wcm/content/|title=United Nations Visitors Centre|publisher=United Nations|year=2011|accessdate=25 August 2011}}</ref> The International Court of Justice is located in [[The Hague]], while other major agencies are based in the [[United Nations Office at Geneva|UN offices at Geneva]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.unog.ch/ |title=United Nations Office at Geneva |publisher=United Nations Office at Geneva |accessdate=6 November 2013}}</ref> [[United Nations Office at Vienna|Vienna]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.unvienna.org/unov/ |title=Welcome to the United Nations Office at Vienna! |publisher=United Nations Office at Vienna |date= |accessdate=6 November 2013}}</ref> and [[United Nations Office at Nairobi|Nairobi]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.unon.org/ |title=Welcome to the United Nations Office at Nairobi |publisher=United Nations Office at Nairobi |accessdate=6 November 2013}}</ref> Other UN institutions are located throughout the world. The six [[official language]]s of the United Nations, used in intergovernmental meetings and documents, are Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish.<ref name=langs>{{cite web |url=http://www.un.org/en/ga/about/ropga/lang.shtml |title=General Assembly of the United Nations – Rules of Procedure |publisher=UN Department for General Assembly |accessdate=15 December 2010}}</ref> On the basis of the [[Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations]], the UN and its agencies are [[diplomatic immunity|immune]] from the laws of the countries where they operate, safeguarding the UN's impartiality with regard to the host and member countries.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://diplomaticlaw.com/blog/2009/03/23/jerusalem-court-no-immunity-for-un-employee-for-private-acts/ |title=Jerusalem Court: No Immunity for UN Employee for Private Acts—Diplomatic/Consular Law and Sovereign Immunity in Israel |publisher=Diplomaticlaw.com |date=23 March 2009 |accessdate=27 April 2010}}</ref>
−	Below the six organs sit, in the words of the author Linda Fasulo, "an amazing collection of entities and organizations, some of which are actually older than the UN itself and operate with almost complete independence from it".<ref>Fasulo, p. 4</ref> These include specialized agencies, research and training institutions, programmes and funds, and other UN entities.<ref>Fasulo, pp. 4–7</ref>	+	===International People's Assembly===
−		+	[[File:IPA_Building.png|thumb|right|Meeting Place of the IPA in Bagropa, [[nation/Rizealand|Rizealand]]]]
−	{{United Nations Organs}}	+	The International People's Assembly (IPA) is the lower legislative organ of the Congress of Nations and is considered a direct representative of the people of CON's member nations. The IPA is currently composed of 4,349 members and it meets in a massive hall in Bagropa, Rizealand. Each member of the IPA is elected by popular vote from his nation for a term of three years and each member roughly represents one million people. Nations with less than one million people are still allotted one representative and nations with a population above one billion are allotted no more than 1,000 representatives. The IPA elects its own officials but it cannot remove its officials. Most nations have a choice of either electing their representatives through direct popular vote or proportional representation and that choice is made by national governments only.[[File:IPA_Chamber.png|thumb|right|Meeting Chamber of the IPA]] The people also reserve the right to recall their own representatives who cannot be removed by the IPA. The IPA has no sole powers and all its powers need joint agreement of the International Senate. The IPA can pass all legislation, issue writs of impeachments against executive or judicial CON officials, introduce and make proposals regarding budget and finances, and declare war or approve military actions. All these need approval and support of the International Senate though. Because of the immense size of the IPA, debates are rarely held on the floor and most debates and decision making are done in committees which review legislation at vote.
−		+
−	===General Assembly===	+
−	{{Main|United Nations General Assembly}}	+
−	[[File:RIAN archive 828797 Mikhail Gorbachev addressing UN General Assembly session.jpg|thumb|right|[[Mikhail Gorbachev]], Soviet general secretary, addresses the UN General Assembly in December 1988.]]	+
−	The General Assembly is the main [[deliberative assembly]] of the United Nations. Composed of all [[Member states of the United Nations|United Nations member states]], the assembly meets in regular yearly sessions, but emergency sessions can also be called.<ref name=F131>Fomerand, pp. 131–33</ref> The assembly is led by a [[President of the United Nations General Assembly|president]], elected from among the member states on a rotating regional basis, and 21 vice-presidents.<ref>Fasulo, pp. 69–70</ref> The first session was convened on 10 January 1946 in the Methodist Central Hall Westminster in London and included representatives of 51 nations.<ref name=unmilestones />	+
−		+
−	When the General Assembly votes on important questions, a two-thirds majority of those present and voting is required. Examples of important questions include recommendations on peace and security; election of members to organs; admission, suspension, and expulsion of members; and budgetary matters.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.un.org/en/ga/about/ropga/plenary.shtml |title=General Assembly of the United Nations: Rules of Procedure: XII – Plenary Meetings |publisher=United Nations |accessdate=4 December 2013}} "Decisions of the General Assembly on important questions shall be made by a two-thirds majority of the members present and voting. These questions shall include: recommendations with respect to the maintenance of international peace and security, the election of the non-permanent members of the Security Council, the election of the members of the Economic and Social Council, the election of members of the Trusteeship Council in accordance with paragraph 1 c of Article 86 of the Charter, the admission of new Members to the United Nations, the suspension of the rights and privileges of membership, the expulsion of Members, questions relating to the operation of the trusteeship system, and budgetary questions."</ref> All other questions are decided by a majority vote. Each member country has one vote. Apart from approval of budgetary matters, resolutions are not binding on the members. The Assembly may make recommendations on any matters within the scope of the UN, except matters of peace and security that are under consideration by the Security Council.<ref name=F131 />	+
−		+
−	Draft resolutions can be forwarded to the General Assembly by eight committees:<ref>Fasulo, pp. 70–73</ref>	+
−	*General Committee – a supervisory committee consisting of the assembly's president, vice-president, and committee heads	+
−	*Credentials Committee – responsible for determining the credentials of each member nation's UN representatives	+
−	*[[General Assembly First Committee|First Committee (Disarmament and International Security)]]	+
−	*[[Economic and Financial Committee|Second Committee (Economic and Financial)]]	+
−	*Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian, and Cultural)	+
−	*[[United Nations Fourth Committee|Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization)]]	+
−	*Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary)	+
−	*[[United Nations General Assembly Sixth Committee (Legal)|Sixth Committee (Legal)]]	+
−		+
−	===Security Council===	+
−	{{Main|United Nations Security Council}}	+
−	[[File:Powell-anthrax-vial.jpg|thumb|right|[[Colin Powell]], the [[United States Secretary of State|US Secretary of State]], demonstrates a vial with [[Legitimacy of the 2003 invasion of Iraq#Weapons of Mass Destruction|alleged]] [[Iraq]]i [[chemical weapon]] probes to the UN Security Council on [[United Nations Security Council and the Iraq War|Iraq war]] hearings, 5 February 2003]]	+
−	The Security Council is charged with maintaining peace and security among countries. While other organs of the United Nations can only make "recommendations" to member states, the Security Council has the power to make binding decisions that member states have agreed to carry out, under the terms of Charter Article 25.<ref name="Chapter|V" /> The decisions of the Council are known as [[United Nations Security Council resolution]]s.<ref>Fasulo, pp. 39–43</ref>	+
−		+
−	The Security Council is made up of 15 member states, consisting of 5 permanent members—China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States—and 10 non-permanent members—Argentina (term ends 2014), Australia (2014), Chad (2015), Chile (2015), Jordan (2015), Lithuania (2015), Luxembourg (2014), Nigeria (2015), Republic of Korea (2014), and Rwanda (2014).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.un.org/en/sc/members/ |title=Members of the United Nations Security Council |publisher=United Nations |accessdate=6 February 2014}}</ref> The five permanent members hold [[United Nations Security Council veto power|veto power]] over UN resolutions, allowing a permanent member to block adoption of a resolution, though not debate. The ten temporary seats are held for two-year terms, with member states voted in by the General Assembly on a [[United Nations Regional Groups|regional basis]].<ref>Fasulo, pp. 40–41</ref> The presidency of the Security Council rotates alphabetically each month.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.un.org/en/sc/presidency/ |title=Security Council Presidency in 2013 |publisher=United Nations |accessdate=6 November 2013}}</ref>	+
		+	===International Senate===
		+	[[File:International_Senate_Building.png|thumb|right|Meeting Place of the International Senate, Austin, Texas]]
		+	The International Senate (commonly abbreviated "IS" or "The Senate") is the powerfullest and highest legislative organ of the Congress of Nations. The Senate currently has 26 seats and meets in Austin, Texas at the International Senate Building (ISB). The Senate is representative of the CON's member nations rather than the direct people, unlike the IPA. Each nation sends two senators to the Senate for an indefinite number of terms. The senators have been split into two groups however. The first group or half is appointed to their position by the chief of state or head of government of their nation and is tasked to represent their government's executive branch. The second half is appointed by their nation's legislatures and tasked to represent that legislature. Thus, each nation has one senator representing its executive and one senator representing its legislature. [[File:International_Senate_Chamber.png|thumb|right|International Senate Chamber]] However, in nations where there is no legislature, the person or group exercising legislative powers makes the appointment. The purpose of this is to give each nation equal representation and allow each one an equal voice. The Senate can pass legislation with the IPA, impeach officials charged by the IPA, and declare war with the IPA. However, they can also approve appointments to the secretariat or judicial branches, enact sanctions with 2/3 majority, and admit/eject nations from the CON with a 2/3 majority. The Senate is run similarly to other higher bodies and it does not have a committee system, all debates and discussion taking place on the floor.
		+
	===Secretariat===		===Secretariat===
−	{{Main|United Nations Secretariat|Secretary-General of the United Nations}}	+	[[File:Joseph_Earnest_Corbell.png|thumb|upright|The current President of the CON, Joseph E. Corbell]]
−	The UN Secretariat is headed by the [[Secretary-General of the United Nations|Secretary-General]], assisted by a staff of international civil servants worldwide.<ref>Fasulo, p. 21</ref> It provides studies, information, and facilities needed by United Nations bodies for their meetings. It also carries out tasks as directed by the Security Council, the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council, and other UN bodies.<ref>Fomerand, p. 285</ref>	+	The Secretariat of the CON is the official name given to the various Secretariats and agencies of the CON. The Secretariat is headed by the President of the Congress of Nations who serves as the chief executive for the whole body. The President is elected every three years by a joint college of the IPA and International Senate. The President has the power to veto or sign legislation passed by either legislative organ of the CON but that organ can override his veto with a 2/3 majority. Other jobs of the President include nominating secretariat officials and international judges, presiding over the Secretariat, and giving the CON a "State of the World" address annually. The President can be impeached by the IPA and removed from office by 2/3 of the Senate. The rest of the Secretariat is comprised of small department or secretariats led by secretaries and charged with enforcing their respective laws. They also serve as cabinet advisers to the International Senate and IPA. The Secretariat meets in the CON Executive Buildings, which are actually the old former UN Headquarters in New York City in the Gulf Empire.
−	[[File:Ban Ki-moon 1-2.jpg|thumb|upright|The current [[Secretary-General of the United Nations|Secretary-General]], [[Ban Ki-moon]]]]
−	The Secretary-General acts as the ''de facto'' spokesperson and leader of the UN. The position is defined in the UN Charter as the organization's "chief administrative officer".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.un.org/en/documents/charter/chapter15.shtml |title=United Nations Charter: Chapter XV |publisher=United Nations |accessdate=18 November 2013}}</ref> Article 99 of the charter states that the Secretary-General can bring to the Security Council's attention "any matter which in his opinion may threaten the maintenance of international peace and security", a phrase that Secretaries-General since [[Trygve Lie]] have interpreted as giving the position broad scope for action on the world stage.<ref>Meisler, pp. 31–32</ref> The office has evolved into a dual role of an administrator of the UN organization and a diplomat and mediator addressing disputes between member states and finding consensus to global issues.<ref>Kennedy, pp. 59–62</ref>
−	The Secretary-General is appointed by the General Assembly, after being recommended by the Security Council, where the permanent members have veto power.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.un.org/sg/appointment.shtml |title=Appointment Process |publisher=United Nations |accessdate=18 November 2013}}</ref> There are no specific criteria for the post, but over the years it has become accepted that the post shall be held for one or two terms of five years, that the post shall be appointed on the basis of geographical rotation, and that the Secretary-General shall not originate from one of the five permanent Security Council member states.<ref name="una-usa-fact">{{cite web | url=http://www.unausa.org/atf/cf/%7B49C555AC-20C8-4B43-8483-A2D4C1808E4E%7D/SG%20Reform%20Fact%20Sheet-fina-logol.pdf |title=An Historical Overview on the Selection of United Nations Secretaries-General | publisher=UNA-USA | accessdate=30 September 2007|format=PDF |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20071025014319/http://www.unausa.org/atf/cf/%7b49C555AC-20C8-4B43-8483-A2D4C1808E4E%7d/SG+Reform+Fact+Sheet-fina-logol.pdf <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archivedate = 25 October 2007}}</ref> The current Secretary-General is [[Ban Ki-moon]], who replaced [[Kofi Annan]] in 2007 and was elected for a second term to conclude at the end of 2016.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-13868655|title=Ban Ki-moon wins second term as UN Secretary General|publisher=BBC | date=21 June 2011|accessdate=21 November 2013}}</ref>	+	===International Courts===
		+	[[File:International_Suprmee_Court_Building.png|thumb|upright|ISC Building, Geneva, the Gulf Empire]]The International Supreme Court (ISC) is the highest court and final court of appeal for CON and all its member nations. It is composed of 13 judges, all appointed by the President with support of the International Senate and meets in Geneva in the Gulf Empire. The ISC is responsible for ruling in cases between nations, between nations and individuals, between nations and organizations, and between the CON and other organizations. This court is also the final court of appeal for all civil cases, criminal ones excluded. Usually, to propose a verdict, a majority is needed. Ties result in a mis-trial.
−	{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%; text-align:left;"	+	Below the ISC is two smaller courts called the International Courts of Justice (ICJ) and the International Courts of Appeal ICA). Each court has 56 judges, a certain number being allotted to each member nation. Judges are appointed by the President of the CON with permission of the International Senate. Both courts meet in an international court building located in each member nation's capital and this courts have jurisdiction only in that state. The ICJ has final appeal for all criminal cases and will listen to cases appealed from member nation courts if the defendant or plaintiff believes that the ruling was unfair or unjust. The ICJ then rules if the ruling was fair or not fair and its decision cannot be appealed any higher. The ICA hears all civil appeal cases from national courts but its rulings can be appealed to the ISC.
−	|+ style="padding-top:1em;" |Secretaries-General of the United Nations<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.un.org/sg/formersgs.shtml |title=Former Secretaries-General  |publisher=United Nations |accessdate=6 November 2013}}</ref>	+
−	! No. !! Name !! Country of origin !! Took office !! Left office !! Note	+
−	|-	+
−	| 1 || '''[[Trygve Lie]]''' || {{flag|Norway}} || 2 February 1946 || 10 November 1952 || Resigned	+
−	|-	+
−	| 2 || '''[[Dag Hammarskjöld]]''' || {{flag|Sweden}} || 10 April 1953 || 18 September 1961 || Died in office	+
−	|-	+
−	| 3 || '''[[U Thant]]''' || {{flag|Burma|1948}} || 30 November 1961 || 31 December 1971 ||	+
−	|-	+
−	| 4 || '''[[Kurt Waldheim]]''' || {{flag|Austria}} || 1 January 1972 || 31 December 1981 ||	+
−	|-	+
−	| 5 || '''[[Javier Pérez de Cuéllar]]''' || {{flag|Peru}} || 1 January 1982 || 31 December 1991 ||	+
−	|-	+
−	| 6 || '''[[Boutros Boutros-Ghali]]''' || {{flag|Egypt}} || 1 January 1992 || 31 December 1996 ||	+
−	|-	+
−	| 7 || '''[[Kofi Annan]]''' || {{flag|Ghana}} || 1 January 1997 || 31 December 2006 ||	+
−	|-	+
−	| 8 || '''[[Ban Ki-moon]]''' || {{flag|South Korea}} || 1 January 2007 || Incumbent ||	+
−	|}	+
−		+
−	===International Court of Justice===	+
−	{{Main|International Court of Justice}}	+
−	The International Court of Justice (ICJ), located in The Hague, in the Netherlands, is the primary judicial organ of the UN. Established in 1945 by the UN Charter, the Court began work in 1946 as the successor to the [[Permanent Court of International Justice]]. The ICJ is composed of 15 judges who serve 9-year terms and are appointed by the General Assembly; every sitting judge must be from a different nation.<ref name=F183>Fomerand, p. 183</ref><ref>Fasulo, pp. 100–01</ref>	+
−		+
−	It is based in the [[Peace Palace]] in The Hague, sharing the building with the [[Hague Academy of International Law]], a private centre for the study of international law. The ICJ's primary purpose is to adjudicate disputes among states. The court has heard cases related to war crimes, illegal state interference, ethnic cleansing, and other issues.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.icj-cij.org/court/index.php?p1=1&PHPSESSID=26e84ff7b1a8f1f3edf82cf94f3a7d68 |title=The Court |publisher=International Court of Justice |accessdate=17 May 2007}}</ref> The ICJ can also be called upon by other UN organs to provide advisory opinions.<ref name=F183 />	+
−		+
−	===Economic and Social Council===	+
−	{{Main|United Nations Economic and Social Council}}	+
−	The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) assists the General Assembly in promoting international economic and social co-operation and development. ECOSOC has 54 members, which are elected by the General Assembly for a three-year term. The president is elected for a one-year term and chosen amongst the small or middle powers represented on ECOSOC. The council has one annual meeting in July, held in either New York or Geneva. Viewed as separate from the specialized bodies it co-ordinates, ECOSOC's functions include information gathering, advising member nations, and making recommendations.<ref name=F103>Fomerand, pp. 103–04</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.un.org/en/ecosoc/about/index.shtml |title=About ECOSOC |publisher=ECOSOC |accessdate=5 November 2013}}</ref> Owing to its broad mandate of co-ordinating many agencies, ECOSOC has at times been criticized as unfocused or irrelevant.<ref name=F103 /><ref>Fasulo, pp. 153–55</ref>	+
−		+
−	ECOSOC's subsidiary bodies include the [[United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues]], which advises UN agencies on issues relating to [[indigenous peoples]]; the [[United Nations Forum on Forests]], which co-ordinates and promotes sustainable forest management; the [[United Nations Statistical Commission]], which co-ordinates information-gathering efforts between agencies; and the [[Commission on Sustainable Development]], which co-ordinates efforts between UN agencies and NGOs working toward [[sustainable development]]. ECOSOC may also grant consultative status to non-governmental organizations;<ref name=F103 /> by 2004, more than 2,200 organizations had received this status.<ref>Fasulo, p. 156</ref>	+
−		+
−	===Specialized agencies===	+
−	{{Main|List of specialized agencies of the United Nations}}	+
−	The UN Charter stipulates that each primary organ of the UN can establish various specialized agencies to fulfill its duties.<ref name=CharterIX /> Some of the best-known agencies are the [[International Atomic Energy Agency]], the [[Food and Agriculture Organization]], [[UNESCO]] (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), the [[World Bank Group|World Bank]], and the [[World Health Organization]] (WHO). The UN performs most of its humanitarian work through these agencies. Examples include mass vaccination programmes (through WHO), the avoidance of famine and malnutrition (through the work of the WFP), and the protection of vulnerable and displaced people (for example, by [[United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees|UNHCR]]).<ref>Fasulo, pp. 171–77</ref>	+
−		+
−	{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:90%; text-align:left;"	+
−	|+ style="padding-top:1em;" |'''Organizations and specialized agencies of the United Nations'''	+
−	! No. !!Acronym !! Agency !! Headquarters !! Head{{efn|As of November 2013}} !! Established in	+
−	|-	+
−	| 1 || FAO || '''[[Food and Agriculture Organization]]'''||{{flagicon|ITA}} Rome, Italy|| {{flagicon|BRA}} [[José Graziano da Silva]] || 1945	+
−	|-	+
−	| 2 || IAEA || '''[[International Atomic Energy Agency]]'''||{{flagicon|AUT}} [[Vienna]], Austria || {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Yukiya Amano]] || 1957	+
−	|-	+
−	| 3 || ICAO || '''[[International Civil Aviation Organization]]'''||{{flagicon|CAN}} [[Montreal]], Canada || {{flagicon|FRA}} Raymond Benjamin || 1947	+
−	|-	+
−	| 4 || IFAD || '''[[International Fund for Agricultural Development]]'''|| {{flagicon|ITA}} Rome, Italy || {{flagicon|NGA}} [[Kanayo F. Nwanze]]|| 1977	+
−	|-	+
−	| 5 || ILO || '''[[International Labour Organization]]'''||{{flagicon|SUI}} [[Geneva]], Switzerland || {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Guy Ryder]] || 1946 (1919)	+
−	|-	+
−	| 6 || IMO || '''[[International Maritime Organization]]'''||{{flagicon|GBR}} London, United Kingdom || {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Koji Sekimizu]]|| 1948	+
−	|-	+
−	| 7 || IMF || '''[[International Monetary Fund]]'''|| {{flagicon|USA}} Washington, DC, US || {{flagicon|FRA}} [[Christine Lagarde]]|| 1945 (1944)	+
−	|-	+
−	| 8 || ITU || '''[[International Telecommunication Union]]'''||{{flagicon|CHE}} [[Geneva]], Switzerland || {{flagicon|MLI}} [[Hamadoun Touré]] || 1947 (1865)	+
−	|-	+
−	| 9 || UNESCO || '''[[UNESCO|United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization]]'''||{{flagicon|FRA}} Paris, France || {{flagicon|BUL}} [[Irina Bokova]] || 1946	+
−	|-	+
−	| 10 || UNIDO || '''[[United Nations Industrial Development Organization]]'''||{{flagicon|AUT}} [[Vienna]], Austria || {{flagicon|PRC}} [[Li Yong (politician)]] || 1967	+
−	|-	+
−	| 11 || UNWTO ||'''[[World Tourism Organization]]'''||{{flagicon|ESP}} [[Madrid]], Spain || {{flagicon|JOR}} [[Taleb Rifai]] || 1974	+
−	|-	+
−	| 12 || UPU || '''[[Universal Postal Union]]'''||{{flagicon|CHE}} [[Bern]], Switzerland || {{flagicon|KEN}} [[Bishar Abdirahman Hussein]] || 1947 (1874)	+
−	|-	+
−	| 13 || WBG || '''[[World Bank Group]]'''||{{flagicon|USA}} Washington, DC, US || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Jim Yong Kim]]|| 1945 (1944)	+
−	|-	+
−	| 14 || WFP || '''[[World Food Programme]]'''||{{flagicon|ITA}} Rome, Italy || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Ertharin Cousin]] || 1963	+
−	|-	+
−	| 15 || WHO || '''[[World Health Organization]]'''||{{flagicon|CHE}} [[Geneva]], Switzerland ||{{flagicon|HKG}} [[Margaret Chan]]|| 1948	+
−	|-	+
−	| 16 || WIPO || '''[[World Intellectual Property Organization]]'''||{{flagicon|CHE}} [[Geneva]], Switzerland || {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Francis Gurry]] || 1974	+
−	|-	+
−	| 17 || WMO || '''[[World Meteorological Organization]]'''|| {{flagicon|CHE}} [[Geneva]], Switzerland || {{flagicon|CAN}} David Grimes / {{flagicon|FRA}} [[Michel Jarraud]] || 1950 (1873)	+
−	|}	+
	==Membership==		==Membership==
−	{{Main|Member states of the United Nations}}	+	Currently, the Congress of Nations has 13 members. According to the CON Charter, the International Senate is in charge of admitting nations to the CON with a 2/3 majority required. Usually, the Senate rarely rejects applications to join the CON as its belief is the "more the merrier" and it does have the power to eject members but that power has not been exercised yet.
−	[[File:UN member states animation.gif|thumb|An animation showing the timeline of accession of UN member states, according to the UN. Antarctica has no government; political control of [[Western Sahara]] is in dispute; and the territories administered by Taiwan and Kosovo are considered by the UN to be provinces of China and Serbia, respectively.]]	+
−		+
−	With the addition of [[South Sudan]] on 14 July 2011,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=39034&Cr=South+Sudan&Cr1= |title=UN welcomes South Sudan as 193rd Member State |publisher=United Nations |date=28 June 2006 |accessdate=4 November 2011}}</ref> there are {{UNnum}} United Nations member states, including all [[List of states with limited recognition|undisputed]] [[List of sovereign states|independent states]] apart from [[Vatican City]].<ref name="members">{{cite web	+
−	|url=http://www.un.org/members/	+
−	|title=United Nations Member States	+
−	|publisher=United Nations	+
−	|accessdate=22 November 2013}}</ref>{{efn|For details on Vatican City's status, see [[Holy See and the United Nations]].}}	+
−	The UN Charter outlines the rules for membership:	+
−	<!--template syntax: {{Quote|Phrase|Somebody|''Source''}}-->	+
−	{{Quote|	+
−	# Membership in the United Nations is open to all other peace-loving states that accept the obligations contained in the present Charter and, in the judgment of the Organization, are able and willing to carry out these obligations.	+
−	# The admission of any such state to membership in the United Nations will be effected by a decision of the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council. Chapter II, Article 4<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.un.org/en/documents/charter/chapter2.shtml |title=Charter of the United Nations: Chapter II |publisher=United Nations |accessdate=21 November 2013}}</ref>}}	+
−		+
−	In addition, there are two [[United Nations General Assembly observers|non-member observer states of the United Nations General Assembly]]: the [[Holy See]] (which holds sovereignty over Vatican City) and the [[State of Palestine]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.un.org/en/members/nonmembers.shtml|title=Non-member States|publisher=United Nations|accessdate=23 November 2013}}</ref> The [[Cook Islands]] and [[Niue]], both [[associated state|states in free association]] with New Zealand, are full members of several UN specialized agencies and have had their "full treaty-making capacity" recognised by the Secretariat.<ref name=art102>{{cite web |format=PDF |url=http://legal.un.org/repertory/art102/english/rep_supp8_vol6-art102_e_advance.pdf |title=Repertory of Practice |publisher=United Nations |contribution=Organs Supplement |number=8 |page=10 |accessdate=23 November 2013}}</ref>	+
−		+
−	===Group of 77===	+
−	{{main|Group of 77}}	+
−	The Group of 77 at the UN is a loose coalition of developing nations, designed to promote its members' collective economic interests and create an enhanced joint negotiating capacity in the United Nations. Seventy-seven nations founded the organization, but by November 2013 the organization had since expanded to 133 member countries.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.g77.org/doc/members.html |title=The Member States of the Group of 77 |accessdate=7 November 2013}}</ref> The group was founded on 15 June 1964 by the "Joint Declaration of the Seventy-Seven Countries" issued at the [[United Nations Conference on Trade and Development]] (UNCTAD). The first major meeting was in [[Algiers]] in 1967, where the Charter of Algiers was adopted and the basis for permanent institutional structures was established.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.g77.org/doc/ |title=About the G77 |publisher=Group of 77 |accessdate=5 November 2013}}</ref>	+
	==Objectives==		==Objectives==
−		+	The objectives of the Congress of Nations have been to increase free trade by demolishing unnecessary trade barriers, to find ways to protect human rights, to encourage world peace and cooperation, and to prevent violence and acts of war from breaking out. Unlike the UN and WA, the Congress of Nations's approach to this has been through the maintenance of a standing world military, enacting tough sanctions, and creating a global currency.
−	===Peacekeeping and security===	+
−	{{Main|United Nations peacekeeping|List of United Nations peacekeeping missions}}	+
−	[[File:Bolivian Army 2nd Lt. Mauricio Vidangos stands guard at the entry control point of an Observation Point.jpg|thumb|Bolivian "[[United Nations peacekeeping|Blue Helmet]]" at an exercise in Chile]]	+
−	The UN, after approval by the Security Council, sends peacekeepers to regions where armed conflict has recently ceased or paused to enforce the terms of peace agreements and to discourage combatants from resuming hostilities. Since the UN does not maintain its own military, peacekeeping forces are voluntarily provided by member states. These soldiers are sometimes nicknamed "Blue Helmets" for their distinctive gear.<ref>Fasulo, p. 52</ref><ref>Coulon, p. ix</ref> The peacekeeping force as a whole received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1988.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1988/|author=Nobel Prize|title=The Nobel Peace Prize 1988|accessdate=3 April 2011}}</ref>	+
−		+
−	In September 2013, the UN had peacekeeping soldiers deployed on 15 missions. The largest was the [[United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo]] (MONUSCO), which included 20,688 uniformed personnel. The smallest, [[United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan]] (UNMOGIP), included 42 uniformed personnel responsible for monitoring the ceasefire in [[Jammu and Kashmir]]. UN peacekeepers with the [[United Nations Truce Supervision Organization]] (UNTSO) have been stationed in the Middle East since 1948, the longest-running active peacekeeping mission.<ref name=UNPO/>	+
−		+
−	A study by the RAND Corporation in 2005 found the UN to be successful in two out of three peacekeeping efforts. It compared efforts at nation-building by the United Nations to those of the United States, and found that seven out of eight UN cases are at peace, as compared with four out of eight US cases at peace.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/2005/RAND_MG304.sum.pdf|author=RAND Corporation|title=The UN's Role in Nation Building: From the Congo to Iraq|format=PDF|accessdate=30 December 2008}}</ref> Also in 2005, the [[Human Security Report 2005|Human Security Report]] documented a decline in the number of wars, genocides, and human rights abuses since the end of the Cold War, and presented evidence, albeit circumstantial, that international activism—mostly spearheaded by the UN—has been the main cause of the decline in armed conflict in that period.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.humansecurityreport.info/|author=Human Security Centre|title=The Human Security Report 2005|accessdate=8 February 2007}}</ref> Situations in which the UN has not only acted to keep the peace but also intervened include the Korean War (1950–53) and the authorization of intervention in Iraq after the Gulf War (1990–91).<ref>Kennedy, p. 56</ref>	+
−		+
−	The UN has also drawn criticism for perceived failures. In many cases, member states have shown reluctance to achieve or enforce Security Council resolutions. Disagreements in the Security Council about military action and intervention are seen as having failed to prevent the [[1971 Bangladesh Genocide|Bangladesh genocide in 1971]],<ref name="Ball">{{cite book | last = Ball | first = Howard | title = Genocide: A Reference Handbook | year = 2011 | publisher = ABC Clio | isbn = 978-1-59884-488-7 | page = 46}}</ref> the [[Khmer Rouge rule of Cambodia|Cambodian genocide]] in the 1970s,<ref>Kennedy, p. 187</ref> and the Rwandan genocide in 1994.<ref name=Kennedy102>Kennedy, pp. 102–05</ref> Similarly, UN inaction is blamed for failing to either prevent the [[Srebrenica massacre]] in 1995 or complete the peacekeeping operations in 1992–93 during the [[Somali Civil War]].<ref>Meisler, pp. 294–311</ref> UN peacekeepers have also been accused of child rape, soliciting prostitutes, and sexual abuse during various peacekeeping missions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo,<ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A3145-2004Dec15.html|title=U.N. Sexual Abuse Alleged in Congo|work=The Washington Post |first=Colum |last=Lynch|date=16 December 2004|accessdate=21 November 2013}}</ref> Haiti,<ref>{{cite news|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6195830.stm|title=UN troops face child abuse claims|publisher=BBC News |date=30 November 2006|accessdate=21 November 2013}}</ref> Liberia,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/08/world/africa/08iht-abuse.html|title=Aid workers in Liberia accused of sex abuse|work=The New York Times |date=8 May 2006|accessdate=22 November 2013}}</ref> Sudan and what is now South Sudan,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1538476/UN-staff-accused-of-raping-children-in-Sudan.html|title= UN staff accused of raping children in Sudan|work=The Telegraph|date=4 January 2007| first=Kate | last=Holt |accessdate=21 November 2013}}</ref> Burundi, and Ivory Coast.<ref>{{cite news|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/7420798.stm|title= Peacekeepers 'abusing children' |publisher=BBC |date=28 May 2007|accessdate=21 November 2013}}</ref> Scientists cited UN peacekeepers from Nepal as the likely source of the [[2010–13 Haiti cholera outbreak]], which killed more than 8,000 Haitians following the 2010 Haiti earthquake.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/09/world/americas/haiti-un-cholera-lawsuit/ |title=U.N. sued for 'bringing cholera to Haiti,' causing outbreak that killed thousands |author=Watson, Ivan and Joe Vaccarello |date=10 October 2013 |publisher=CNN |accessdate=18 November 2013}}</ref>	+
−		+
−	In addition to peacekeeping, the UN is also active in encouraging [[disarmament]]. Regulation of armaments was included in the writing of the UN Charter in 1945 and was envisioned as a way of limiting the use of human and economic resources for their creation.<ref name="Chapter|V">{{cite web |url=http://www.un.org/en/documents/charter/chapter5.shtml |title=United Nations Charter: Chapter V |publisher=United Nations |accessdate=21 November 2013}}</ref> The advent of [[nuclear weapon]]s came only weeks after the signing of the charter, resulting in the first [[United Nations General Assembly resolution|resolution]] of the first General Assembly meeting calling for specific proposals for "the elimination from national armaments of atomic weapons and of all other major weapons adaptable to mass destruction".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.un.org/documents/ga/res/1/ares1.htm |title=Resolutions Adopted by the General Assembly During its First Session|accessdate=24 March 2008 |publisher=United Nations}}</ref> The UN has been involved with arms-limitation treaties, such as the [[Outer Space Treaty]] (1967), the [[Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons]] (1968), the [[Seabed Arms Control Treaty]] (1971), the [[Biological Weapons Convention]] (1972), the [[Chemical Weapons Convention]] (1992), and the [[Ottawa Treaty]] (1997), which prohibits landmines.<ref>Fasulo, pp. 188–89</ref> Three UN bodies oversee arms proliferation issues: the [[International Atomic Energy Agency]], the [[Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons]], and the [[Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization Preparatory Commission]].<ref>Fasulo, pp. 189–90</ref>	+
−		+
−	===Human rights===	+
−	One of the UN's primary purposes is "promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion", and member states pledge to undertake "joint and separate action" to protect these rights.<ref name=CharterIX>{{cite web |url=http://www.un.org/en/documents/charter/chapter9.shtml |title=United Nations Charter: Chapter IX |publisher=United Nations |accessdate=18 November 2013}}</ref><ref name=Charter1>{{cite web |url=http://www.un.org/en/documents/charter/chapter1.shtml |title=United Nations Charter: Chapter I |publisher=United Nations |accessdate=18 November 2013}}</ref>	+
−		+
−	[[File:EleanorRooseveltHumanRights.png|thumb|left|[[Eleanor Roosevelt]] with the [[Universal Declaration of Human Rights]] in 1949]]	+
−	In 1948, the General Assembly adopted a [[Universal Declaration of Human Rights]], drafted by a committee headed by Franklin D. Roosevelt's widow, [[Eleanor Roosevelt|Eleanor]], and including the French lawyer [[René Cassin]]. The document proclaims basic civil, political, and economic rights common to all human beings, though its effectiveness toward achieving these ends has been disputed since its drafting.<ref>Kennedy, pp. 178–182</ref> The Declaration serves as a "common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations" rather than a legally binding document, but it has become the basis of two binding treaties, the 1966 [[International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights]] and [[International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights]].<ref>Fomerand, p. 377</ref> In practice, the UN is unable to take significant action against human rights abuses without a Security Council resolution, though it does substantial work in investigating and reporting abuses.<ref>Kennedy, pp. 185, 188</ref>	+
−		+
−	In 1979, the General Assembly adopted the [[Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women]], followed by the [[Convention on the Rights of the Child]] in 1989.<ref>Fomerand, pp. 70, 73</ref> With the end of the Cold War, the push for human rights action took on new impetus.<ref>Kennedy, p. 192</ref> The [[United Nations Commission on Human Rights]] was formed in 1993 to oversee human rights issues for the UN, following the recommendation of that year's [[World Conference on Human Rights]]. Jacques Fomerand, a scholar of the UN, describes this organization's mandate as "broad and vague", with only "meager" resources to carry it out.<ref>Fomerand, p. 347</ref> In 2006, it was replaced by a [[United Nations Human Rights Council|Human Rights Council]] consisting of 47 nations.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4810538.stm |title=UN creates new human rights body |date=15 March 2006 |publisher=BBC News |accessdate=18 November 2013}}</ref> Also in 2006, the General Assembly passed a [[Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unpfii/documents/FAQsindigenousdeclaration.pdf |title=Frequently Asked Questions: Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples |publisher= United Nations |accessdate=18 November 2013}}</ref> and in 2011 it passed its first resolution recognizing the rights of [[LGBT]] people.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/17/un-gay-rights-protection-resolution-passes-_n_879032.html |date=17 June 2011 |agency=Associated Press |first=Frank |last=Jordans |title=U.N. Gay Rights Protection Resolution Passes, Hailed As 'Historic Moment'|accessdate=18 November 2013 }}</ref>	+
−		+
−	Other UN bodies responsible for [[women's rights]] issues include [[United Nations Commission on the Status of Women]], a commission of ECOSOC founded in 1946; the [[United Nations Development Fund for Women]], created in 1976; and the [[United Nations International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women]], founded in 1979.<ref>Fomerand, pp. 57, 194, 341</ref> The United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, one of three bodies with a mandate to oversee issues related to indigenous peoples, held its first session in 2002.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://undesadspd.org/IndigenousPeoples/AboutUsMembers.aspx |title=United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues |publisher=United Nations |accessdate=18 November 2013}}</ref>	+
−		+
−	===Economic development and humanitarian assistance===	+
−	{| style="background:#f3f9ff; padding-left:7px; padding-bottom:7px; float:right; border:1px dashed #aaa; margin-left:1em; margin-bottom:1em;"	+
−	|-	+
−	| colspan=2|	+
−	'''Millennium Development Goals'''	+
−	|-	+
−	| style="vertical-align:top; font-size:100%;"|	+
−	# eradicate extreme poverty and hunger;	+
−	# achieve universal primary education;	+
−	# promote gender equality and empower women;	+
−	# reduce child mortality;	+
−	# improve maternal health;	+
−	# combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases;	+
−	# ensure environmental sustainability; and	+
−	# develop a global partnership for development.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/bkgd.shtml |title=We Can End Poverty |date= |publisher=United Nations |accessdate=18 November 2013}}</ref>	+
−	|}	+
−	Another primary purpose of the UN is "to achieve international co-operation in solving international problems of an economic, social, cultural, or humanitarian character".<ref name=Charter1/> Numerous bodies have been created to work towards this goal, primarily under the authority of the General Assembly and ECOSOC.<ref>Kennedy, pp. 143–44</ref> In 2000, the 192 United Nations member states agreed to achieve eight [[Millennium Development Goals]] by 2015.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/ | title=The UN Millennium Development Goals | publisher=United Nations | accessdate=4 May 2007}}</ref>	+
−		+
−	The [[United Nations Development Programme|UN Development Programme]] (UNDP), an organization for grant-based technical assistance founded in 1945, is one of the leading bodies in the field of [[international development]]. The organization also publishes the UN [[Human Development Index]], a comparative measure [[List of countries by Human Development Index|ranking countries]] by poverty, literacy, education, life expectancy, and other factors.<ref>Fasulo, pp. 169–170, 172</ref><ref>Fomerand, pp. 341–42</ref> The [[Food and Agriculture Organization]] (FAO), also founded in 1945, promotes agricultural development and food security.<ref>Fomerand, p. 126</ref> [[UNICEF]] (the United Nations Children's Fund) was created in 1946 to aid European children after the Second World War and expanded its mission to provides aid around the world and to uphold the Convention on the Rights of the Child.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.unicef.org/about/who/index_history.html |title=About UNICEF: Who we are: Our History |publisher=UNICEF |accessdate=21 November 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.unicef.org/about/who/index_introduction.html |title=About UNICEF: Who We Are |publisher=UNICEF |accessdate=21 November 2013}}</ref>	+
−		+
−	The [[World Bank Group]] and [[International Monetary Fund]] (IMF) are independent, specialized agencies and observers within the UN framework, according to a 1947 agreement. They were initially formed separately from the UN through the [[Bretton Woods system|Bretton Woods Agreement]] in 1944.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/EXTABOUTUS/0,,contentMDK:20040610~menuPK:41691~pagePK:43912~piPK:44037,00.html|title= About Us–United Nations|accessdate=2 August 2007|date=30 June 2003|publisher=The World Bank}}</ref> The World Bank provides loans for international development, while the IMF promotes international economic co-operation and gives emergency loans to indebted countries.<ref>Fomerand p. 175, 191–92</ref>	+
−		+
−	The [[World Health Organization]] (WHO), which focuses on international health issues and disease eradication, is another of the UN's largest agencies. In 1980, the agency announced that the eradication of [[smallpox]] had been completed. In subsequent decades, WHO largely eradicated [[polio]], [[river blindness]], and [[leprosy]].<ref>Fasulo, p. 176–77</ref> The [[Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS]] (UNAIDS), begun in 1996, co-ordinates the organization's response to the AIDS epidemic.<ref>Fomerand, pp. 199–200</ref> The [[UN Population Fund]], which also dedicates part of its resources to combating HIV, is the world's largest source of funding for [[reproductive health]] and [[family planning]] services.<ref>Fomerand, p. 368</ref>	+
−		+
−	Along with the [[International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement]], the UN often takes a leading role in co-ordinating emergency relief.<ref name=Fasulo183>Fasulo, p. 183</ref> The [[World Food Programme]] (WFP), created in 1961, provides food aid in response to famine, natural disasters, and armed conflict. The organization reports that it feeds an average of 90 million people in 80 nations each year.<ref name=Fasulo183/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wfp.org/our-work |title=Our Work |publisher=World Food Programme |accessdate=22 November 2013}}</ref> The [[Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees]] (UNHCR), established in 1950, works to protect the rights of refugees, asylum seekers, and stateless people.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.unhcr.org/pages/49c3646c2.html |title=About Us |publisher=Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees |accessdate=22 November 2013}}</ref> UNHCR and WFP programmes are funded by voluntary contributions from governments, corporations, and individuals, though the UNHCR's administrative costs are paid for by the UN's primary budget.<ref>Fomerand, pp. 348, 398</ref>	+
−		+
−	===Other===	+
−	Since the UN's creation, over 80 colonies have attained independence. The General Assembly adopted the [[Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples]] in 1960 with no votes against but abstentions from all major colonial powers. The UN works toward decolonization through groups including the [[Special Committee on Decolonization|UN Committee on Decolonization]], created in 1962.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.un.org/en/decolonization/index.shtml |title=The United Nations and Decolonization |publisher=United Nations |accessdate=6 November 2013}}</ref> The committee lists seventeen remaining "Non-Self-Governing Territories", the largest and most populous of which is [[Western Sahara]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.un.org/en/decolonization/nonselfgovterritories.shtml |title=Non-Self-Governing Territories  |publisher=United Nations |accessdate=7 February 2014}}</ref>	+
−		+
−	Beginning with the formation of the [[UN Environmental Programme]] (UNEP) in 1972, the UN has made environmental issues a prominent part of its agenda. A lack of success in the first two decades of UN work in this area led to the 1992 [[Earth Summit]] in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, which sought to give new impetus to these efforts.<ref>Kennedy, pp. 160–62</ref>  In 1988, the UNEP and the [[World Meteorological Organization]] (WMO), another UN organization, established the [[Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change]], which assesses and reports on research on [[global warming]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ipcc.ch/organization/organization.shtml#.Uo4YtsSsgus |title=Organizations  |publisher=Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change |accessdate=21 November 2013}}</ref> The UN-sponsored [[Kyoto Protocol]], signed in 1997, set legally-binding emissions reduction targets for ratifying states.<ref>Fasulo, p. 179</ref>	+
−		+
−	The UN also declares and co-ordinates [[international observance]]s, periods of time to observe issues of international interest or concern. Examples include [[World Tuberculosis Day]], [[Earth Day]], and the [[International Year of Deserts and Desertification]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.un.org/en/events/observances/index.shtml |title=United Nations Observances |publisher=United Nations |accessdate=17 November 2013}}</ref>	+
	==Funding==		==Funding==
−	{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%; white-space:nowrap; text-align:left; float:right; margin:10px;"	+	The CON's main source of funding comes through special taxes paid by member nations and collected from their citizens. The CON also gets grants and donations from many world agencies and non-profit groups as well.
−	|+Top 17 contributors to the UN budget, 2013<ref name=unbudget>{{cite web |url=http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/RES/67/238 |title=Assessment of Member States' contributions to the United Nations regular budget for 2013 |publisher=[[United Nations Secretariat|UN Secretariat]] |format=PDF |date=11 February 2013 |accessdate=11 February 2013}}</ref>	+
−	! style="width:130px;"| [[Member states of the United Nations|Member state]]	+
−	! Contribution<br /><small>([[Percentage|%]] of UN budget)</small>	+
−	|-	+
−	| '''{{flag|United States}}''' || 22.000%	+
−	|-	+
−	| '''{{flag|Japan}}''' || 10.833%	+
−	|-	+
−	| '''{{flag|Germany}}''' || 7.141%	+
−	|-	+
−	| '''{{flag|France}}''' || 5.593%	+
−	|-	+
−	| '''{{flag|United Kingdom}}''' || 5.179%	+
−	|-	+
−	| '''{{flag|China}}''' || 5.148%	+
−	|-	+
−	| '''{{flag|Italy}}''' || 4.448%	+
−	|-	+
−	| '''{{flag|Canada}}''' || 2.984%	+
−	|-	+
−	| '''{{flag|Spain}}''' || 2.973%	+
−	|-	+
−	| '''{{flag|Brazil}}''' || 2.934%	+
−	|-	+
−	| '''{{flag|Russia}}''' || 2.438%	+
−	|-	+
−	| '''{{flag|Australia}}''' || 2.074%	+
−	|-	+
−	| '''{{flag|South Korea}}''' || 1.994%	+
−	|-	+
−	| '''{{flag|Mexico}}''' || 1.842%	+
−	|-	+
−	| '''{{flag|Netherlands}}''' || 1.654%	+
−	|-	+
−	| '''{{flag|Turkey}}''' || 1.328%	+
−	|-	+
−	| '''{{flag|Switzerland}}''' || 1.047%	+
−	|-	+
−	| '''Other member states''' || 18.390%	+
−	|}	+
−	The UN is financed from assessed and voluntary contributions from member states. The General Assembly approves the regular budget and determines the assessment for each member. This is broadly based on the relative capacity of each country to pay, as measured by their [[gross national income]] (GNI), with adjustments for external debt and low per capita income.<ref name="fifth-2006">{{cite web |title=Fifth Committee Approves Assessment Scale for Regular, Peacekeeping Budgets, Texts on Common System, Pension Fund, as it Concludes Session (Press Release) |publisher=United Nations |date=22 December 2006|accessdate=8 November 2013 |url=http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2006/gaab3787.doc.htm}}</ref> The two-year budget for 2012–13 was $5.512 billion in total.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.un.org/en/hq/dm/pdfs/oppba/Regular%20Budget.pdf |format=PDF |title=Regular Budget 2012–2013 |publisher=United Nations |accessdate=9 November 2013}}</ref>	+
−		+
−	The Assembly has established the principle that the UN should not be unduly dependent on any one member to finance its operations. Thus, there is a "ceiling" rate, setting the maximum amount that any member can be assessed for the regular budget. In December 2000, the Assembly revised the scale of assessments in response to pressure from the United States. As part of that revision, the regular budget ceiling was reduced from 25% to 22%.<ref>Fasulo, p. 117</ref> For the [[Least developed country|least developed countries]] (LDCs), a ceiling rate of 0.01% is applied.<ref name="fifth-2006"/> In addition to the ceiling rates, the minimum amount assessed to any member nation (or "floor" rate) is set at 0.001% of the UN budget.<ref>Weiss and Daws, p. 682</ref>	+
−		+
−	A large share of the UN's expenditure addresses its core mission of peace and security, and this budget is assessed separately from the main organizational budget.<ref>Fasulo, p. 115</ref> The peacekeeping budget for the 2013–14 fiscal year was $7.54 billion, supporting 82,318 troops deployed in 15 missions around the world.<ref name=UNPO>{{cite web |url=http://www.un.org/en/peacekeeping/resources/statistics/factsheet.shtml |title=United Nations Peacekeeping Operations |accessdate=9 November 2013 |date=30 September 2013 |publisher=United Nations}}</ref> UN peace operations are funded by assessments, using a formula derived from the regular funding scale that includes a weighted surcharge for the five permanent Security Council members, who must approve all peacekeeping operations. This surcharge serves to offset discounted peacekeeping assessment rates for less developed countries. In 2013, the top 10 providers of assessed financial contributions to United Nations peacekeeping operations were the United States (28.38%), Japan (10.83%), France (7.22%), Germany (7.14%), the United Kingdom (6.68%), China (6.64%), Italy (4.45%), the Russian Federation (3.15%), Canada (2.98%), and Spain (2.97%).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/dpko/contributors/financing.html |title=Financing of UN Peacekeeping Operations |publisher=United Nations  |accessdate=9 November 2013}}</ref>	+
−		+
−	Special UN programmes not included in the regular budget, such as UNICEF and the World Food Programme, are financed by voluntary contributions from member governments, corporations, and private individuals.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wfp.org/get-involved/donate/where-your-money-goes |title=Where Your Money Goes |publisher=World Food Programme |accessdate=9 November 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.unicef.org/appeals/funding_trends.html |title=Overall funding trends |date=21 January 2013 |publisher=UNICEF |accessdate=9 November 2013}}</ref>	+
−		+
−	==Evaluations, awards, and criticism==	+
−	{{See also|Criticism of the United Nations|Reform of the United Nations}}	+
−		+
−	A number of agencies and individuals associated with the UN have won the [[Nobel Peace Prize]] in recognition of their work. Two Secretaries-General, Dag Hammarskjöld and Kofi Annan, were each awarded the prize (in 1961 and 2001, respectively), as were Ralph Bunche (1950), a UN negotiator, René Cassin (1968), a contributor to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the US Secretary of State [[Cordell Hull]] (1945), the latter for his role in the organization's founding. [[Lester B. Pearson]], the Canadian [[Secretary of State for External Affairs]], was awarded the prize in 1957 for his role in organizing the UN's first peacekeeping force to resolve the Suez Crisis. UNICEF won the prize in 1965, the [[International Labour Organization]] in 1969, the UN Peace-Keeping Forces in 1988, the International Atomic Energy Agency (which reports to the UN) in 2005, and the UN-supported [[Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons]] in 2013. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees was awarded in 1954 and 1981, becoming one of only two recipients to win the prize twice. The UN as a whole was awarded the prize in 2001, sharing it with Annan.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/index.html |title=All Nobel Peace Prizes |publisher=Nobel Prize |accessdate=5 November 2013}}</ref>	+
−		+
−	Since its founding, there have been many calls for [[reform of the United Nations]] but little consensus on how to do so. Some want the UN to play a greater or more effective role in world affairs, while others want its role reduced to humanitarian work. There have also been numerous calls for the [[Reform of the United Nations Security Council|UN Security Council's membership to be increased]], for different ways of electing the UN's Secretary-General, and for a [[United Nations Parliamentary Assembly]]. Jacques Fomerand states the most enduring divide in views of the UN is "the North–South split" between [[North–South divide|richer Northern nations and developing Southern nations]]. Southern nations tend to favour a more empowered UN with a stronger General Assembly, allowing them a greater voice in world affairs, while Northern nations prefer an economically [[laissez-faire]] UN that focuses on transnational threats such as terrorism.<ref>Fomerand, p. civ</ref>	+
−		+
−	After the Second World War, the [[French Committee of National Liberation]] was late to be recognized by the US as the government of France, and so the country was initially excluded from the conferences that aimed at creating the new organization. The future French president [[Charles de Gaulle]] criticized the UN, famously calling it a ''machin'' ("contraption"), and was not convinced that a global security alliance would help maintain world peace, preferring direct defence treaties between countries.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Gerbet|first=Pierre |year=1995|title=Naissance des Nations Unies|journal=Espoir |issue=102|language=French|url=http://www.charles-de-gaulle.org/pages/l-homme/dossiers-thematiques/1944-1946-la-liberation/restaurer-le-rang-de-la-france/analyses/naissance-des-nations-unies.php}}</ref> Throughout the Cold War, both the US and USSR repeatedly accused the UN of favouring the other. In 1953 the USSR effectively forced the resignation of Trygve Lie, the Secretary-General, through its refusal to deal with him, while in the 1950s and 1960s, a popular US bumper sticker read, "You can't spell communism without U.N.".<ref>Meisler, pp. 72–73, 82</ref> In a sometimes-misquoted statement, President [[George W. Bush]] stated in February 2003 (referring to UN uncertainty towards Iraqi provocations under the Saddam Hussein regime) that "free nations will not allow the United Nations to fade into history as an ineffective, irrelevant debating society."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2003-02-14/news/0302140349_1_security-council-resolution-united-nations-weapons-inspectors |title=Bush implores U.N. to show `backbone' |last=Greene |first=David L. |publisher=[[The Baltimore Sun]] |date=14 February 2003 |accessdate=12 January 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=pm-9_uxFw5UC&pg=PA150&lpg=PA150&dq=Bush+UN+ineffective,+irrelevant+debating+society&source=bl&ots=f2OiTq9AGy&sig=BuXpj_u-V3BqNaCm9AYj4fc9P5Y&hl=en&sa=X&ei=LsrSUtltwuSwBJuLgqgM&ved=0CDUQ6AEwAjgK#v=onepage&q=Bush%20UN%20ineffective%2C%20irrelevant%20debating%20society&f=false |title=Problem of Ethicity: Role of United Nations in Kosovo Crisis |first1=Jasvir |last1=Singh |publisher=Unistar Books |year=2008 |accessdate=12 January 2014 |page=150}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=rqiHRA8RAMkC&pg=PT489&lpg=PT489&dq=Bush+UN+ineffective,+irrelevant+debating+society&source=bl&ots=abL0yUjFD8&sig=FgBq42TzjunfJGxVLqPmFU3lLRg&hl=en&sa=X&ei=28fSUtLMNdDhsATg9YKwDQ&ved=0CEYQ6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=Bush%20UN%20ineffective%2C%20irrelevant%20debating%20society&f=false |title=Human Rights at the UN: The Political History of Universal Justice |first1=Roger |last1=Normand |first2=Sarah |last2=Zaidi |publisher=[[Indiana University Press]] |page=455 |date=13 February 2003|accessdate=12 January 2014}}</ref> In contrast, the French President, [[François Hollande]], stated in 2012 that "France trusts the United Nations. She knows that no state, no matter how powerful, can solve urgent problems, fight for development and bring an end to all crises... France wants the UN to be the centre of global governance."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.franceonu.org/france-at-the-united-nations/the-united-nations/france-s-role-at-the-un/article/france-s-role-at-the-un#7 |title=France's role at the UN  |publisher=Permanent Mission of France to the United Nations |accessdate=25 November 2013}}</ref> Critics such as [[Dore Gold]], an Israeli diplomat, [[Robert S. Wistrich]], a British scholar, [[Alan Dershowitz]], an American legal scholar, [[Mark Dreyfus]], an Australian politician, and the [[Anti-Defamation League]] consider UN attention to Israel's treatment of Palestinians to be excessive.<ref>	+
−	*For Gold, see Gold, p. 20	+
−	*For Wistrich, see Wistrich, p. 487	+
−	*For Dershowitz, see [[Alan Dershowitz|Dershowitz, Alan]]. ''[[The Case for Peace]]: How the Arab-Israeli Conflict Can Be Resolved''. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2005.	+
−	*For Dreyfus, see [http://jta.org/news/article/2009/07/08/1006396/dont-be-lynch-mob-lawyers-urge-un#When:14:22:00Z "Don’t be lynch mob, lawyers urge U.N.."] ''[[Jewish Telegraphic Agency|JTA]]''. 8 July 2009.	+
−	*For Anti-Defamation League, see [http://www.adl.org/PresRele/UnitedNations_94/5443_94.htm "ADL: UN Human Rights Council Resolution Reveals 'Cancerous Bias' Against Israel."] ADL. 7 July 2009.</ref>	+
−		+
−	Critics have also accused the UN of bureaucratic inefficiency, waste, and corruption. In 1976 the General Assembly established the [[Joint Inspection Unit]] to seek out inefficiencies within the UN system. During the 1990s, the US withheld dues citing inefficiency and only started repayment on the condition that a major reforms initiative was introduced. In 1994, the [[United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services|Office of Internal Oversight Services]] (OIOS) was established by the General Assembly to serve as an efficiency watchdog.<ref>{{cite web |last=Reddy |first=Shravanti |date=29 October 2002 |url=http://www.globalpolicy.org/ngos/ngo-un/rest-un/2002/1029watchdog.htm |title=Watchdog Organization Struggles to Decrease UN Bureaucracy |publisher=Global Policy Forum |accessdate=21 September 2006 }}</ref> In 2004, the UN faced accusations that its recently ended [[Oil-for-Food Programme]]—in which Iraq had been allowed to trade oil for basic needs to relieve the pressure of sanctions—had suffered from widespread corruption, including billions of dollars of [[Kickback (bribery)|kickback]]s. An independent inquiry created by the UN found that many of its officials had been involved, as well as raising "significant" questions about the role of [[Kojo Annan]], the son of Kofi Annan.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/4232629.stm |title=Q&A: Oil-for-food scandal |date=7 September 2005 |publisher=BBC News |accessdate=27 November 2013}}</ref>	+
−		+
−	In evaluating the UN as a whole, Jacques Fomerand writes that the "accomplishments of the United Nations in the last 60 years are impressive in their own terms. Progress in human development during the 20th century has been dramatic and the UN and its agencies have certainly helped the world become a more hospitable and livable place for millions."<ref>Fomerand, p. cviii</ref> Evaluating the first 50 years of the UN's history, the author Stanley Meisler writes that "the United Nations never fulfilled the hopes of its founders, but it accomplished a great deal nevertheless", citing its role in decolonization and its many successful peacekeeping efforts.<ref>Meisler, p. 339</ref> The British historian [[Paul Kennedy]] states that while the organization has suffered some major setbacks, "when all its aspects are considered, the UN has brought great benefits to our generation and ... will bring benefits to our children's and grandchildren's generations as well."<ref>Kennedy, p. 290</ref>	+

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Latest revision as of 18:40, 21 February 2015

Congress of Nations مؤتمر الأمم 國國會 Congrès des Nations Конгресс народов Congreso de las Naciones
Motto: Unita Stabimus, Divisum Declinemus (Latin: United We Stand, Divided We Fall)
CON Executive Headquarters		CON Executive Building, New York City, Gulf Empire
Official languages		English French Spanish Wadiyan German Norwegian Dutch
Membership		13 member states
Leaders
-	President	Joseph E. Corbell, Gulf Empire
-	President of the IS	Chris Logg, Rizealand
-	President of the International People's Assembly	Dr. Isaac Chase III, Rizealand
Establishment
-	CON Charter signed	Jan 5, 2014
-	Charter ratified	Feb 5, 2014
Website [http://congressofnations.weebly.com

The Congress of Nations (CON) is an intergovernmental organization established in early 2014 by the Bagropa Convention in Rizealand. Its mission has been to further world peace, cooperation, and trade through diplomacy and improved world relations. It was primarily an alternative for the World Assembly which was becoming very abrasive to some nations. Originally formed by Texas, Rizealand, and the Gulf Empire, it has risen to 13 members and has begun to start taking its place among the governments of the world. The CON was patterned in part after the United Nations, European Union, and government of the United States. It is composed of two legislative organs, the International Senate and International People's Assembly and has a Secretariat charged with enforcing laws, presided over by the President of the CON. It also has judicial powers too in the form of the International Supreme Court, International Courts of Justice, and International Courts of Appeal. Some of the biggest changes in its structure include a popularly elected legislative organ (the International People's Assembly), a strong chief executive (the President of the CON), a global currency, and a standing international military for peacekeeping purposes. The meeting places of the CON have been split up between Rizealand, Texas, and the Gulf Empire.

History

The Congress of Nations was first conceived by President Dominique Horiatio of the Federation of Rizealand and his Secretary of Foreign Relations, Rebecka Abott, in late December of 2013, they called together an international conference in Bagropa, Rizealand to discuss the creation a new international organization. The United Nations had already collapsed by 2008 and was replaced by the World Assembly. However, the World Assembly really only favored larger nations and it did not give enough support to role players, favoring huge regions and gameplay scenarios. The Bagropa Convention was originally made up of representatives from the Federation of Rizealand, Republic of Texas, and the Gulf Empire. These three, known as the "Big Three" decided to draft a new charter for an organization they would call, the Congress of Nations. They decided to craft it have a much more powerful structure then the UN or the even weaker WA while also following some of the old molds of those organizations as well. Rizealand eventually invited Roxia and San Andreas to the convention while the Gulf Empire invited Wadiya and Sunlaya and Texas invited Trafalgar and Dido Place. On January 5, 2014, the Charter was completed and presented to the member nations who ratified it soon after on February 5. Since then, the Congress of Nations has grown to 13 members and bought its own structures.

Structure

The organization of the Congress of Nations was based partially on the United Nations, United States, European Union, and World Assembly. Legislative powers were vested in two organs, like the US, UN, and EU. One organ, resembling the US Senate, Security Council, and Council of Europe, was named the International Senate and was given a lot of power, with its members being appointed by the national governments. The second organ, the International People's Assembly (IPA), was a large lower organ resembling the EU Parliament in which its members would be elected by popular vote rather than appointed. Smaller nations would have an advantage in the International Senate (IS) but larger nations would have an advantage in the IPA, serving as a balance and check. All executive powers were vested in a Secretariat led by the President, who were all chosen by the CON as a whole and by the IS. Lastly, powers was also vested in a system of international courts and an international bank and military force were also applied.

International People's Assembly

The International People's Assembly (IPA) is the lower legislative organ of the Congress of Nations and is considered a direct representative of the people of CON's member nations. The IPA is currently composed of 4,349 members and it meets in a massive hall in Bagropa, Rizealand. Each member of the IPA is elected by popular vote from his nation for a term of three years and each member roughly represents one million people. Nations with less than one million people are still allotted one representative and nations with a population above one billion are allotted no more than 1,000 representatives. The IPA elects its own officials but it cannot remove its officials. Most nations have a choice of either electing their representatives through direct popular vote or proportional representation and that choice is made by national governments only. The people also reserve the right to recall their own representatives who cannot be removed by the IPA. The IPA has no sole powers and all its powers need joint agreement of the International Senate. The IPA can pass all legislation, issue writs of impeachments against executive or judicial CON officials, introduce and make proposals regarding budget and finances, and declare war or approve military actions. All these need approval and support of the International Senate though. Because of the immense size of the IPA, debates are rarely held on the floor and most debates and decision making are done in committees which review legislation at vote.

International Senate

The International Senate (commonly abbreviated "IS" or "The Senate") is the powerfullest and highest legislative organ of the Congress of Nations. The Senate currently has 26 seats and meets in Austin, Texas at the International Senate Building (ISB). The Senate is representative of the CON's member nations rather than the direct people, unlike the IPA. Each nation sends two senators to the Senate for an indefinite number of terms. The senators have been split into two groups however. The first group or half is appointed to their position by the chief of state or head of government of their nation and is tasked to represent their government's executive branch. The second half is appointed by their nation's legislatures and tasked to represent that legislature. Thus, each nation has one senator representing its executive and one senator representing its legislature. However, in nations where there is no legislature, the person or group exercising legislative powers makes the appointment. The purpose of this is to give each nation equal representation and allow each one an equal voice. The Senate can pass legislation with the IPA, impeach officials charged by the IPA, and declare war with the IPA. However, they can also approve appointments to the secretariat or judicial branches, enact sanctions with 2/3 majority, and admit/eject nations from the CON with a 2/3 majority. The Senate is run similarly to other higher bodies and it does not have a committee system, all debates and discussion taking place on the floor.

Secretariat

The Secretariat of the CON is the official name given to the various Secretariats and agencies of the CON. The Secretariat is headed by the President of the Congress of Nations who serves as the chief executive for the whole body. The President is elected every three years by a joint college of the IPA and International Senate. The President has the power to veto or sign legislation passed by either legislative organ of the CON but that organ can override his veto with a 2/3 majority. Other jobs of the President include nominating secretariat officials and international judges, presiding over the Secretariat, and giving the CON a "State of the World" address annually. The President can be impeached by the IPA and removed from office by 2/3 of the Senate. The rest of the Secretariat is comprised of small department or secretariats led by secretaries and charged with enforcing their respective laws. They also serve as cabinet advisers to the International Senate and IPA. The Secretariat meets in the CON Executive Buildings, which are actually the old former UN Headquarters in New York City in the Gulf Empire.

International Courts

The International Supreme Court (ISC) is the highest court and final court of appeal for CON and all its member nations. It is composed of 13 judges, all appointed by the President with support of the International Senate and meets in Geneva in the Gulf Empire. The ISC is responsible for ruling in cases between nations, between nations and individuals, between nations and organizations, and between the CON and other organizations. This court is also the final court of appeal for all civil cases, criminal ones excluded. Usually, to propose a verdict, a majority is needed. Ties result in a mis-trial.

Below the ISC is two smaller courts called the International Courts of Justice (ICJ) and the International Courts of Appeal ICA). Each court has 56 judges, a certain number being allotted to each member nation. Judges are appointed by the President of the CON with permission of the International Senate. Both courts meet in an international court building located in each member nation's capital and this courts have jurisdiction only in that state. The ICJ has final appeal for all criminal cases and will listen to cases appealed from member nation courts if the defendant or plaintiff believes that the ruling was unfair or unjust. The ICJ then rules if the ruling was fair or not fair and its decision cannot be appealed any higher. The ICA hears all civil appeal cases from national courts but its rulings can be appealed to the ISC.

Membership

Currently, the Congress of Nations has 13 members. According to the CON Charter, the International Senate is in charge of admitting nations to the CON with a 2/3 majority required. Usually, the Senate rarely rejects applications to join the CON as its belief is the "more the merrier" and it does have the power to eject members but that power has not been exercised yet.

Objectives

The objectives of the Congress of Nations have been to increase free trade by demolishing unnecessary trade barriers, to find ways to protect human rights, to encourage world peace and cooperation, and to prevent violence and acts of war from breaking out. Unlike the UN and WA, the Congress of Nations's approach to this has been through the maintenance of a standing world military, enacting tough sanctions, and creating a global currency.

Funding

The CON's main source of funding comes through special taxes paid by member nations and collected from their citizens. The CON also gets grants and donations from many world agencies and non-profit groups as well.