With the aim to make you an expert on key current awareness topics Siliconindia.com has started its exclusive series ‘Topics of the Year 2010 for MBA Entrance 2010’. Under this series we will present to you everyday a key topic of this year, which has the likelihood of appearing in the MBA exams of this year.
Today’s topic is ‘UN Security Council’. With the recent announcement by US President Barack Obama on his support for India’s claim to a Permanent Seat in the council, there is likelihood of questions coming on this in the MBA entrance exams, such as IIFT, SNAP, MAT.

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Permanent members: China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States

Non-permanent members: Ten members are elected by the General Assembly for two-year terms starting on 1 January, with five replaced each year. For the 2-year term which begins on the January 1, 2011, the elected non-permanent members for this 2-year period will be Colombia, Germany, India, Portugal, South Africa. The other countries from the previous year joining these countries will be: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Gabon, Lebanon, Nigeria.

Membership reform: There has been discussion of increasing the number of permanent members. The countries who have made the strongest demands for permanent seats are Brazil, Germany, India, and Japan. Japan and Germany are the UN's second and third largest funders respectively, while Brazil and India are two of the largest contributors of troops to UN-mandated peace-keeping missions. This proposal has found opposition in a group of countries called Uniting for Consensus.

About UNSC: The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the principal organs of the United Nations and is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security. Its powers, outlined in the United Nations Charter, include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of international sanctions, and the authorization of military action. Its powers are exercised through United Nations Security Council Resolutions.