Membership and Presidency of the Security Council in 2006
The Council has 15 members -- five permanent members and 10 elected by the General Assembly for two-year terms
|
Month
|
Presidency
|
Membership Term Ends
|
|
January
|
United Republic of Tanzania
|
31 December 2006
|
|
February
|
United States
|
Permanent Member
|
|
March
|
Argentina
|
31 December 2006
|
|
April
|
China
|
Permanent Member
|
|
May
|
Congo
|
31 December 2007
|
|
June
|
Denmark
|
31 December 2006
|
|
July
|
France
|
Permanent Member
|
|
August
|
Ghana
|
31 December 2007
|
|
September
|
Greece
|
31 December 2006
|
|
October
|
Japan
|
31 December 2006
|
|
November
|
Peru
|
31 December 2007
|
|
December
|
Qatar
|
31 December 2007
|
|
Russian Federation
|
Permanent Member
|
|
Slovakia
|
31 December 2007
|
|
United Kingdom
|
Permanent Member
|
The following countries began their two-year membership term on 1 January 2006:
Congo, Ghana, Peru, Qatar and Slovakia
Each Council member has one vote. Decisions on procedural matters are made by an affirmative vote of at least nine of the 15 members. Decisions on substantive matters require nine votes, including the concurring votes of all five permanent members. This is the rule of "great Power unanimity", often referred to as the "veto" power.
Under the Charter, all Members of the United Nations agree to accept and carry out the decisions of the Security Council. While other organs of the United Nations make recommendations to Governments, the Council alone has the power to take decisions which Member States are obligated under the Charter to carry out.
|
