About Us | United Nations (2024)

FAQs

What is the US role in United Nations? ›

The U.S. Mission to the United Nations (USUN) serves as the United States' delegation to the United Nations. USUN is responsible for carrying out the nation's participation in the world body.

The United Nations is an international organization founded in 1945 after the Second World War by 51 countries committed to maintaining international peace and security, developing friendly relations among nations and promoting social progress, better living standards and human rights.

The United Nations is an international organization founded in 1945. Currently made up of 193 Member States, the UN and its work are guided by the purposes and principles contained in its founding Charter. The UN has evolved over the years to keep pace with a rapidly changing world.

The UN's regular budget for 2024, which doesn't include peacekeeping and some other UN activities, is US$3.6 billion. The United States owes the most but continues to make partial payments. According to UN sources, the US owes $1.1 billion to the UN's regular budget for 2023 and 2024 plus additional arrears.

Since the UN's founding at the close of World War II, the U.S. has been its preeminent power. Even before the UN was officially created in 1945, Washington had relied on a top-secret wiretap program known as “Ultra” to ensure that the new organization was structured to maximize U.S. influence.

Maintain International Peace and Security. Protect Human Rights. Deliver Humanitarian Aid. Support Sustainable Development and Climate Action.

The main objectives of the United Nations are the maintenance of international peace and security, the promotion of the well-being of the peoples of the world, and international cooperation to these ends.

The UN's chief administrative officer is the secretary-general, currently Portuguese politician and diplomat António Guterres, who began his first five year-term on 1 January 2017 and was re-elected on 8 June 2021. The organization is financed by assessed and voluntary contributions from its member states.

Funding sources for the UN system

The UN is largely funded by governments. Almost three-quarters (72%) of total UN revenue in 2019 came from direct government contributions.

Who runs the UN? ›

António Guterres, the ninth Secretary-General of the United Nations, took office on 1st January 2017.

In short, the UN is allowed by member states and outside actors to have a power, and that power is limited despite the fact that UN is in an important position to solve many huge problems. Essentially the UN is composed of member states, and thus its existing power is endorsed by its member states.

Peace and Security. As outlined in the Preamble of the UN Charter, the UN was created “to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind.” The SC is the main organ responsible for maintaining international peace and security.

On 24 October 1945, this condition was fulfilled and the UN officially came into existence. Four years of planning and the hope of many years had materialized in an international organization designed to end war and promote peace, justice, and better living for all humankind.

The ambassador conveys the current U.S. position on major peace and security issues to the Security Council and the U.N. as a whole. He or she represents the U.S. at U.N. meetings.

It is the largest U.S. mission to an international organization. Over 200 staff listen and report on world news, communicate with media, and negotiate with representatives from other countries belonging to the United Nations.

While descriptions of the U.S. role in the world since the end of World War II vary in their specifics, it can be described in general terms as consisting of four key elements: global leadership; defense and promotion of the liberal international order; defense and promotion of freedom, democracy, and human rights; and ...

Nothing contained in the present Charter shall authorize the United Nations to intervene in matters which are essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of any state or shall require the Members to submit such matters to settlement under the present Charter; but this principle shall not prejudice the application of ...