Research Report

The Veto

This is Security Council Report’s Research Report on the Veto. To view the full report, please download the PDF.

In the lead up to the UN’s 70th anniversary on 24 October, three initiatives addressing one of the more challenging issues facing the organisation—how the Security Council can more effectively prevent and halt mass atrocities—have been garnering considerable attention. These include: a French initiative; the Accountability, Coherence and Transparency Group initiative; and a reform proposal by the Elders.

All three are being discussed in the context of heightened controversy regarding Security Council decision-making, including practices which have evolved around the veto and impact on the Council’s effectiveness. The goal of this report is to give an overview of the current discourse on the veto and place it in its historical context. In doing so, the report will:

Also included in this report are charts on the Permanent Members and the Use of the Veto. 

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