The United Nations is unofficially divided into five geopolitical regional groupings. What began as an informal means of sharing the distribution of posts for General Assembly committees has taken on a much more expansive role. Depending on the UN context, regional groups control elections to UN-related positions, dividing up the pie on the basis of geographic representation, as well as coordinate substantive policy, and form common fronts for negotiations and voting.
As of 2010, the 192 UN member states are divided into five groups:[1]:
- the African Group, with 53 member states.
- the Asian Group, with 53 member states;
- the Eastern European Group, with 23 member states;
- the Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC), with 33 member states;
- the Western European and Others Group (WEOG), with 28 member states (plus 1 observer).
Kiribati is not included in the above numbers (see below).
The regional groups edit
African Group[1] edit
The African Group has 53 members (28% of all UN members), and as such shares the position of the largest regional group by number of member states with the Asian Group. It is the only regional group that has a territory that coincides with the traditional continent of which its name originates. The African Group has 3 seats on the Security Council, all non-permanent, and is eligible for having its nationals elected as President of the United Nations General Assembly in years ending with 4 and 9; most recently, Ali Treki of Libya was elected to this position in 2009. Member states of the African Group, as of 2010:
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Asian Group[1] edit
The Asian Group has 53 members (28% of all UN members), and as such shares the position of the largest regional group by number of member states with the African Group. It's territory is mostly that of the continent from which it borrows its name; the differences arise from Russia and the Caucasian states being members of the Eastern European Group, all the UN members located in Oceania (except for Australia and New Zealand) being members of the Asian Group, while Israel and Turkey are members of the Western European and Others Group. The Asian Group has 3 seats on the Security Council: the permanent seat of China, and two non-permanent seats. It is eligible for having its nationals elected as President of the United Nations General Assembly in years ending with 1 and 6; most recently, Haya Rashed Al-Khalifa of Bahrain was elected to this position in 2006. Member states of the Asian Group, as of 2010:
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Eastern European Group[1] edit
The Eastern European Group has 23 members (12% of all UN members), and as such is the regional group with the least number of member states. The Eastern European Group has 2 seats on the Security Council; the permanent seat of Russia and one non-permanent seat. It is eligible for having its nationals elected as President of the United Nations General Assembly in years ending with 2 and 7; most recently, Srgjan Kerim of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia was elected to this position in 2007. Members of the Eastern European Group as of 2010:
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North American and Caribbean Group (NACaGRU)[1] edit
The North American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC for short) has 21 members (10% of all UN members). It's territory is almost exactly that of South and Central America and the Caribbean; the differences arise from the presence of dependent territories of European countries. GRULAC has 1 non-permanent seats on the Security Council. It is eligible for having its nationals elected as President of the United Nations General Assembly in years ending with 8; most recently, Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann of Nicaragua was elected to this position in 2008. Member states of the North American and Caribbean Group, as of 2010:
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South American Group (SAMgru)[1] edit
The South American Group has 14 members (8% of all UN members). It's territory is almost exactly that of South America; the differences arise from the presence of dependent territories of European countries. GRULAC has 1 non-permanent seats on the Security Council. It is eligible for having its nationals elected as President of the United Nations General Assembly in years ending with 3; most recently, Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann of Nicaragua was elected to this position in 2008. Member states of the South Americann Group, as of 2010:
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Western European and Others Group (WEOG)[1] edit
The Western European and Others Group (WEOG for short) has 24 members (13% of all UN members). It has a territory divided practically dispersed on all of the continents. WEOG has 4 seats on the Security Council, two permanent ones (France, United Kingdom), and two non-permanent ones. It is eligible for having its nationals elected as President of the United Nations General Assembly in years ending with 0; most recently, Joseph Deiss of Switzerland is elected to this position in 2010. Member states of the Western European Group, as of 2010:
Special cases edit
United States edit
The United States of America voluntarily[2] chooses not to be a member, and attends meetings as an observer only. However, it's considered to be a member for putting forward candidates for electoral purposes in the United Nations General Assembly.[3][4]
Israel edit
Israel is geographically in Asia but its membership in the Asian Group has been withheld due to the large majority of Muslim countries in the Asian block, which have refused to allow Israel's acceptance. In May 2000 it became a WEOG full[4] member, on a temporary[4] basis (subject to renewal), in WEOG's headquarters in the US, thereby enabling it to put forward candidates for election to various UN General Assembly bodies. In 2004, Israel obtained a permanent renewal to its membership[5] (in WEOG's headquarters in US, while remaining an observer at the UN offices in Geneva, Nairobi, Rome and Vienna[6]).
On June 14, 2005, Dan Gillerman was elected to the position of Vice-President of the 60th UN General Assembly. The last Israeli to hold this position was UN envoy Abba Eban in 1952. Israel's candidacy was put forward by WEOG. In this position, Gillerman played a central role during the initial negotiation stages of the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict.
Kiribati edit
As of 2010, Kiribati (geographically in Asia) is not a member of any regional group[1]. Despite its membership in the United Nations, Kiribati has never delegated a permanent representative to the UN.
Turkey edit
Turkey, participates fully in both WEOG and Asian Group, but for electoral purposes is considered a member of WEOG only[4].
Proposed new groupings edit
Pacific edit
In 2000, the government of Nauru—at present, a member of the Asian group—called for a new regional group titled Oceania. Aside from Nauru, this proposed bloc may also include Australia and New Zealand (both in WEOG), Japan, South Korea, the ASEAN countries, and the rest of Oceania.[7].
Gallery edit
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Members of the African Group colour-coded for the number of years each spent on the Security Council as of 2010 -
Members of the Latin American and Caribbean Group colour-coded for the number of years each spent on the Security Council as of 2010 -
The Eastern European Group in 2010, with the years each member spent in the United Nations Security Council, including former members represented as outlines -
A map shoving from which countries from the Eastern European Group has there been elected a President of the United Nations General Assembly as of September 2010. -
Members of the Western European and Others Group colour-coded for the number of years each spent on the Security Council as of 2010
Criticisms edit
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A criticism of the regional grouping system is the pressure brought to bear on members to vote consistent with the majority of their regional group. For countries which may have political differences, this can weaken their negotiating positions on a number of issues and an inability to be elected to key leadership positions in the UN.
References edit
- ^ a b c d e f g h Official UN list of Regional Groups, at UN website. UNAIDS, The Governance Handbook, January 2010 (pp. 28,29).
- ^ Justin Gruenberg: An Analysis of United Nations Security Council Resolutions (p. 479).
- ^ Official UN list of Regional Groups (p. 2, note).
- ^ a b c d UN-HABITAT's Global Report on Human Settelments, 2007 (p. 335, n. 2). UNAIDS, The Governance Handbook, January 2010 (p. 29, first note).
- ^ UN Commission for Human Rights, Resolution 624.
- ^ Justin Gruenberg: An Analysis of United Nations Security Council Resolutions (p. 479, n. 68).
- ^ See UN official website.
See also edit
Official External links edit
- UNAIDS, The Governance Handbook, January 2010 (pp. 28,29); PDF document at UN-AIDS website.
- Official list of regional groups; PDF document at UN website.