Editing United Nations General Assembly (section)

{{Short description|One of the six principal organs of the UN}}
{{Use Oxford spelling|date=October 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2018}}
{{Infobox organization
| image = Emblem of the United Nations.svg
| image_size = 100px
| name = {{collapsible list
 | titlestyle = background:transparent;text-align:center;line-height:normal;font-size:84%;
 | title = {{resize|1.25em|United Nations General Assembly}}
 | {{Infobox |subbox=yes |bodystyle=font-size:77%;font-weight:normal;
    | rowclass1 = mergedrow| label1 = [[Arabic]]: | data1 = {{lang|ar|الجمعية العامة للأمم المتحدة|rtl=yes}}
    | rowclass2 = mergedrow| label2 = [[Chinese language|Chinese]]: | data2 = {{lang|zh|联合国大会}}
| rowclass4 = mergedrow
|label4 = [[French language|French]]: | data4 = {{lang|fr|Assemblée générale des Nations unies|italic=unset}}
    | rowclass5 = mergedrow| label5 = [[Russian language|Russian]]: | data5 = {{nowrap|{{lang|ru|Генеральная Ассамблея Организации Объединённых Наций}}}}
    | rowclass6 = mergedrow| label6 = [[Spanish language|Spanish]]: | data6 = {{nowrap|{{lang|es|Asamblea General de las Naciones Unidas|italic=unset}}}}}}}}
| map = UN General Assembly hall.jpg
| map_size = 250px
| map_caption = [[United Nations General Assembly Hall]] at the [[Headquarters of the United Nations|UN Headquarters]] in [[New York City]] in 2006
| type = Principal organ
| abbreviation = {{hlist|class=nowrap |UNGA|GA|AGNU|AG}}
| leader_title = [[President of the United Nations General Assembly|President]]
| leader_name = [[Philémon Yang]]
| status = Active
| formation = {{start date and age|df=y|1945}}
| headquarters = [[New York City]], U.S.
| website = {{URL|https://un.org/ga}}
| parent_organization = [[United Nations]]
| subsidiaries = 
| footnotes =
}}
The '''United Nations General Assembly''' ('''UNGA''' or '''GA'''; {{langx|fr|link=no|Assemblée générale des Nations Unies}},<ref>{{cite web|title=Assemblée générale des Nations Unies|url=https://www.un.org/fr/ga/|date=18 April 2025|access-date=18 April 2025}}</ref> AGNU or AG) is one of the six principal [[organs of the United Nations]] (UN), serving as its main deliberative, policymaking, and representative organ. Currently in its [[Seventy-ninth session of the United Nations General Assembly|79th session]], its powers, composition, functions, and procedures are set out in [[Chapter IV of the United Nations Charter]].

The UNGA is responsible for the UN budget, appointing the non-permanent members to the [[United Nations Security Council|Security Council]], appointing the [[UN secretary-general]], receiving reports from other parts of the UN system, and making recommendations through [[United Nations General Assembly resolution|resolution]]s.<ref>[https://www.un.org/aboutun/charter/chapter4.htm Charter of the United Nations: Chapter IV] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012044607/http://www.un.org/aboutun/charter/chapter4.htm |date=12 October 2007 }}. United Nations.</ref> It also establishes numerous [[:Category:United Nations General Assembly subsidiary organs|subsidiary organs]] to advance or assist in its broad mandate.<ref>{{cite web |url-status=dead |url=https://www.un.org/ga/subsidiary/ |website=United Nations General Assembly |title=Subsidiary Organs of the General Assembly |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180715035834/http://www.un.org/ga/subsidiary.shtml |archive-date=Jul 15, 2018}}</ref> The UNGA is the only UN organ where all member states have equal representation.

The General Assembly meets under [[President of the United Nations General Assembly|its president]] or the UN secretary-general in annual sessions at the [[United Nations General Assembly Building|General Assembly Building]], within the [[headquarters of the United Nations|UN headquarters]] in New York City. The primary phase of these meetings generally runs from September through part of January until all issues are addressed, which is often before the next session starts.<ref>{{cite web |last1=United Nations Official Document |title=The annual session convenes on Tuesday of the third week in September per Resolution 57/301, Para. 1. The opening debate begins the following Tuesday |url=http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/INF/70/1 |website=United Nations |access-date=13 September 2016 |archive-date=23 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200523100514/https://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/INF/70/1 |url-status=live }}</ref> It can also reconvene for special and emergency special sessions. The [[First session of the United Nations General Assembly|first session]] was convened on 10 January 1946 in the [[Methodist Central Hall, Westminster|Methodist Central Hall]] in [[London]] and included representatives of the 51 founding nations.

Most questions are decided in the General Assembly by a simple [[majority]]. Each member country has one vote. Voting on certain important questions—namely recommendations on peace and security; budgetary concerns; and the election, admission, suspension, or expulsion of members—is by a [[Supermajority|two-thirds majority]] of those present and voting. Apart from the approval of budgetary matters, including the adoption of a scale of assessment, Assembly resolutions are not binding on the members. The Assembly may make recommendations on any matters within the scope of the UN, except matters of peace and security under the [[United Nations Security Council|Security Council]]'s consideration.

During the 1980s, the Assembly became a forum for "North-South dialogue" between industrialized nations and developing countries on a range of international issues. These issues came to the fore because of the phenomenal growth and changing makeup of the UN membership. In 1945, the UN had 51 members, which by the 21st century nearly quadrupled to 193, of which more than two-thirds are [[developing country|developing countries]]. Because of their numbers, developing countries are often able to determine the agenda of the Assembly (using coordinating groups like the [[Group of 77|G77]]), the character of its debates, and the nature of its decisions. For many developing countries, the UN is the source of much of their diplomatic influence and the principal outlet for their foreign relations initiatives.

Although the resolutions passed by the General Assembly do not have binding forces over the member nations (apart from budgetary measures), pursuant to its [[United Nations General Assembly Resolution 377|Uniting for Peace]] resolution of November 1950 (resolution 377 (V)), the Assembly may also take action if the Security Council fails to act, owing to [[United Nations Security Council veto power|the negative vote]] of a [[Permanent members of the United Nations Security Council|permanent member]], in a case where there appears to be a threat to the peace, breach of the peace or act of aggression. The Assembly can consider the matter immediately with a view to making recommendations to Members for collective measures to maintain or restore international peace and security.<ref name="autogenerated1">[https://www.un.org/en/ga/about/background.shtml General Assembly of the United Nations] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180329222658/http://www.un.org/en/ga/about/background.shtml |date=29 March 2018 }}. United Nations. Retrieved 12 July 2013.</ref>