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The United Nations has six principal organs. They are:

I. The General Assembly.

II. The Security Council.

III. The Economic and social Council.

VI. The Trusteeship Council.

V. The International Court of Justice.
VI. The Secretariat.

Membership

I. THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

The General Assembly is composed of all the members of the United Nations. Structure

The General Assembly does most of its work in committees, of which there are four types:

A. Main committees.

B. Procedural committees.

C. Standing committees.

D. Ad hoc committees and commissions.

1 Although Poland was not represented at San Francisco, it was agreed that it should sign the Charter subsequently as an original member.

A. MAIN COMMITTEES

The main committees consider agenda items referred to them by the General Assembly and recommend resolutions for submission to plenary meetings of the Assembly.

There are six main committees:

1. First Committee (Political and Security).

2. Second Committee (Economic and Financial).

3. Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian, and Cultural).

4. Fourth Committee (Trusteeship).

5. Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary).

6. Sixth Committee (Legal).

Membership

Every member of the United Nations has the right to be represented on each of the main committees.

1. FIRST COMMITTEE (POLITICAL AND SECURITY)

Terms of reference

The First Committee considers, among other items: the admission, suspension, and expulsion of members; any political and security matters within the scope of the Charter or relating to the powers and functions of any of the organs of the United Nations; the general principles of cooperation in the maintenance of international peace and security, and the principles governing disarmament and the regulation of armaments.

2. SECOND COMMITTEE (ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL)

Terms of reference

The Second Committee concerns itself with the economic and financial aspects of the program of the Economic and Social Council and of the specialized agencies, and considers any economic and financial matters within the scope of the Charter or relating to the powers and functions of any of the organs of the United Nations.

3. THIRD COMMITTEE (SOCIAL, HUMANITARIAN, AND CULTURAL)

Terms of reference

The Third Committee considers the social, humanitarian, and cultural aspects of the work of the Economic and Social Council and of the specialized agencies and any social, humanitarian, cultural, educational, health, and related matters within the scope of the Charter or relating to the powers and functions of any of the organs of the United Nations.

Terms of reference

4. FOURTH COMMITTEE (TRUSTEESHIP)

The Fourth Committee considers matters relating to the International Trusteeship System and to non-self-governing territories.

5. FIFTH COMMITTEE (ADMINISTRATIVE AND BUDGETARY)

Terms of reference

The Fifth Committee considers matters pertaining to the budget of the organization, the contributions of members, and financial and budgetary arrangements with the specialized agencies.

It also considers questions relating to the administration of the Secretariat.

Terms of reference

6. SIXTH COMMITTEE (LEGAL)

The Sixth Committee considers legal and constitutional questions, such as the registration of treaties, privileges and immunities of the United Nations, questions affecting the International Court of Justice, and the legal and constitutional aspects of the questions referred to other committees.

It also considers measures to encourage the progressive development of international law and its codification.

B. PROCEDURAL COMMITTEES

Procedural committees are established to deal with the organization and conduct of business of the General Assembly.

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The General Committee consists of 14 members: the President of the General Assembly; the seven Vice Presidents of the General Assembly; the Chairmen of the six main committees.

Terms of reference

The General Committee assists the President of the General Assembly in drawing up the agenda of each plenary meeting, in coordinating the proceedings of the main committees, and in arranging the program of work of the General Assembly.

Membership

2. CREDENTIALS COMMITTEE

The Credentials Committee consists of nine members who are elected at the beginning of each session of the General Assembly.

Terms of reference

The Credentials Committee verifies the credentials of the delegates and reports to the General Assembly.

C. STANDING COMMITTEES

Standing committees are established to deal with continuing problems.
Four standing committees have been established:

1. Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions.
2. Committee on Contributions.

3. Board of Auditors.

4. International Law Commission (not yet functioning).

1. ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON ADMINISTRATIVE AND BUDGETARY QUESTIONS

Membership

The Advisory Committee consists of nine members elected by the General Assembly, two of whom must be recognized financial experts. The members of the Advisory Committee are selected on the basis of broad geographical representation, personal qualifications and experience, and serve for 3 years. The terms of office of the two financial experts are staggered.

In a first election on November 19, 1946, three members were elected for 1 year, three for 2-year, and three for 3-year terms to establish a rotating scheme. The terms of office of members elected for 1 year expired on December 31, 1947. Those elected for 2 years and for 3 years who are completing their terms of office are as follows:

Elected for 2 years to serve until December 31, 1948: Thanassis Aghnides, Greece; C. L. Hsia, China; Valentin I. Kabushko, U. S. S. R.

Elected for 3 years to serve until December 31, 1949: O. Machado, Brazil; Sir William Matthews, United Kingdom; Donald C. Stone, United States.

In a second election on November 1, 1947, the following were elected for the regular 3-year term of office, to take office on January 1, 1948, replacing members who had been elected for only 1 year and whose terms of office were due to expire on December 31, 1947:

Elected for 3 years to serve until December 31, 1950: André Ganem, France; Jan Papanek, Czechoslovakia; N. Sundaresan, India.

Terms of reference

The Advisory Committee examines the budget of the United Nations and advises the General Assembly on administrative and budgetary questions.

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Membership

2. COMMITTEE ON CONTRIBUTIONS

The Committee consists of 10 members, selected on the basis of broad geographical representation, personal qualifications, and experience, to serve for 3 years. Members are as follows:

To serve until December 31, 1948: J. P. Brigden, Australia; G. Martinez Cabanas, Mexico, Seymour Jacklin, Union of South Africa; Nicolai V. Orlov, U. S. S. R.

To serve until December 31, 1949: K. V. Dzung, China; Jan Papanek, Czechoslovakia; James E. Webb, United States.

To serve until December 31, 1950: R. Asha, Syria; H. Campion, United Kingdom; M. Z. N. Witteveen, Netherlands.

Terms of reference

The Committee on Contributions reports to the General Assembly on questions concerning the apportionment of the expenses of the United Nations among members.

Membership

3. BOARD OF AUDITORS

The Board of Auditors is composed of the Auditor General (or corresponding official) of three members of the United Nations appointed by the General Assembly for 3 years. To establish a rotating scheme, the original members of the Board were appointed on December 7, 1946, by the General Assembly for 1-, 2- and 3-year terms. The Auditor General of each of the following countries was appointed:

Canada, To serve until June 30, 1950.
Sweden, To serve until June 30, 1949.

Ukrainian S. S. R., To serve until June 30, 1948.

To replace the Auditor General of the Ukrainian S. S. R., the Assembly on November 1, 1947, appointed the Auditor General of the following country for the regular 3-year term of office, beginning July 1, 1948:

Colombia, To serve until June 30, 1951.

Terms of reference

The members of the Board of Auditors serve as external auditors of the accounts of the United Nations, the International Court of Justice, and of designated specialized agencies. The Board submits to the General Assembly an annual report, which is made available to the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions.

Membership

4. INTERNATIONAL LAW COMMISSION

The International Law Commission is to be composed of 15 persons of recognized competence in international law. Members are to be elected on a geographical basis by the General Assembly, during its third regular session, from a list of candidates nominated by governments of members of the United Nations. Terms of reference

The Commission is to promote the progressive development of international law and its codification. It will be primarily concerned with public international law but it may also deal with the field of private international law.

D. AD HOC COMMITTEES AND COMMISSIONS

In addition to the main, procedural, and standing committees, the General Assembly or any of its committees may appoint such ad hoc committees and commissions as may be required from time to time for special purposes.

Ad hoc committees and commissions now functioning are, among others, as follows:

1. Interim Committee of the General Assembly.

2. United Nations Temporary Commission on Korea.

3. Special Committee on the Balkans.

4. United Nations Palestine Commission.

5. Special Committee on Information Transmitted under article 73e of the Charter.

6. Headquarters Advisory Committee.

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