The Organization of the United Nations has been established in 1945. Currently, the United Nations consists of 193 member-states. The mission and activities of the United Nations are guided by the purposes and principles enshrined in its milestone document – the UN Charter.

http://www.un.am/up/file/1.%20UN%20Charter_arm.pdf

The official languages of the UN are Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.

The principal organs of the UN are:

• THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
• THE SECURITY COUNCIL
• THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL
• THE TRUSTEESHIP COUNCIL
• THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE
• UN SECRETARIAT

The General Assembly is the main deliberative, representative and policy making organ of the UN. The decisions of the General Assembly are consultative; it elects the non-permanent members of the Security Council (UNSC) and the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), appoints the UN Secretary General by the proposal of the Security Council, elects the members of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) together with the Security Council, coordinates international cooperation in the economic, social, cultural and humanitarian spheres, implements other activities stipulated by the UN Charter. All UN member-states are represented in the General Assembly. The main committees of the General Assembly are:

• First Committee (Disarmament & International Security)
• Second Committee (Economic & Financial)
• Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian & Cultural)
• Fourth Committee (Special Political & Decolonization)
• Fifth Committee (Administrative & Budgetary)
• Sixth Committee (Legal)

http://www.un.org/en/ga/

The Security Council has primary responsibility for the international peace and security. The decisions of the Council, i.e. the resolutions are mandatory. The Security Council has 15 Members, 5 of which -  the United States, the United Kingdom, France, the Russian Federation, China are permanent member, and 10 non-permanent members are elected for two-years term.
http://www.un.org/en/sc/

The Economic and Social Council deals with economic, social, environmental issues, as well as the implementation of internationally agreed development goals. The Economic and Social Council has 54 members elected by the General Assembly for a three-years term. The Functional Commissions of the Economic and Social Council are the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ), the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND), the Commission on Population and Development (CPD), the Commission on Science and Technology for Development (CSTD), the Commission on Social Development (CSocD), the Statistical Commission, the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF).

https://www.un.org/ecosoc/en/

The Trusteeship Council was established in 1945 in accordance with 8^th Chapter of the UN Charter. It had been designed to provide international supervision for 11 territories under the administration of 7 UN member-states, and ensure the implementation of adequate steps for the preparation of the territories for further self-determination and independence. In accordance with the relevant resolution adopted on May 25, 1994, the Council dropped its mandate and agreed to resume functioning if needed.
http://www.un.org/en/decolonization/trusteeship.shtml

The International Court of Justice is the main judicial body of the United Nations and the only one that is not located in New York, but in the Hague. The main purpose of the Court is to investigate legal disputes between member states and adopt advisory decisions on legal issues.
http://www.icj-cij.org/homepage/index.php?lang=en

The Secretariat carries out the daily operations of the United Nations. The Secretary-General of the United Nations is the chief administrative officer of the organization, who is appointed by the General Assembly by the proposal of the Security Council for a fifth-year term, with the option of reappointment.
http://www.un.org/en/sections/about-un/secretariat.html

António Guterres, the current Secretary-General of the United Nations, assumed his position on 1st January 2017.
https://www.un.org/sg/en

ARMENIA-UNITED NATIONS COOPERATION

On March 2, 1992, while becoming a member of the United Nations and accepting the universal values, the principles of protecting human rights and establishing democracy as an integral part of the state ideology, Armenia actively participates in the activities carried out within the United Nations Organization and cooperates with many structures and circles of the organization.

Based on the experience gained over the past years, Armenia makes its practical contribution to the global processes in the promotion of democracy, protection and promotion of human rights, establishment of the rule of law.

Over the years, Armenia has been elected and contributed to the most important UN bodies: the UN Economic and Social Council, the Human Rights Council (HRC), the Commission on the Status of Women, Committee for Programme and Coordination (CPC), the Commission on Social Development, the Commission on Population and Development, Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), Statistical Commission and other bodies.

• In 2018, Armenia was elected to the UN Commission on the Status of Women (for 2019-2023), the presidency of was also entrusted to Armenia in 2019-2020.
• In 2018, Armenia was elected to the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (for the period 2019-2021).
• In 2019 Armenia was elected as a member of the UN Human Rights Council (for 2020-2022).
• In 2020 Armenia was elected as a member of the Committee for Programme and Coordination (for 2021-2023).
• In June of 2021, during the 76th session of the UNGA, the Permanent Representative of Armenia to the UN was elected as a Chair of the Administrative and Budgetary Committee, one of the six main committees of the UNGA.
• In June of 2021, Armenia was elected as a member of the Executive Council of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (WTO) (for 2021-2025).
• In November of 2021, Armenia was elected as a member of the UNESCO's Executive Council for the first time (for 2021-2025).
• In 2021, Armenia was elected as a member of the Bureau of the Group of Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDC) (for 2022-2023).
• In 2022, during the session of the UN Economic and Social Council, Armenia was elected as a member of the UN Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations (for 2023-2026).
• In April 2023, during the session of the UN Economic and Social Council, Armenia was elected as a member of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (for 2024-2027).
• In April 2023, during the session of the UN Economic and Social Council, Armenia was elected as a member of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (for 2024-2026).

In 2015, at the 69th session of the UN General Assembly, a resolution was adopted on the initiative of Armenia by which December 9 was established as an International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime. The initiative derives from provisions of the resolution on the prevention of genocide presented by Armenia and unanimously adopted at the 28th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, on March 27.

In 2019, at the initiative of Armenia, the UN General Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution entitled "World Chess Day" under the "Sports for Development and Peace" and "Culture of Peace" agenda items, declaring July 20 as a World Chess Day.

Armenia is actively involved in the ongoing global discussions on climate change and participates in the highest level in the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

In 2022, the President of the UN General Assembly visited Armenia for the first time.

On September 15, 2022 an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council was convened under the Presidency of France, upon Armenia's request. In his speech during the meeting, Mher Margaryan, the Permanent Representative of Armenia to the UN, presented the latest large-scale aggression, unleashed by Azerbaijan against the sovereign territory of Armenia and its consequences.

On December 20, 2022 under the Indian Presidency, a UN Security Council emergency meeting was convened upon Armenia's request, to discuss the situation resulting from the blockade of the Lachin Corridor by Azerbaijan since December 12, 2022.

On May 23, Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia Vahe Gevorgyan participated and delivered remarks at the open debate of the UN Security Council under the agenda item “Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict”. In his remarks, the Deputy Foreign Minister referred to Azerbaijan's blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh and the establishment of a checkpoint in the Lachin Corridor, contrary to the legally binding orders of the International Court of Justice. The key role of the UN Security Council in guaranteeing the implementation of obligations deriving from international humanitarian law was emphasized.

On June 13, a hybrid event titled “Impact of the international health crisis on legal infrastructure for trade" was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia jointly with the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL). Yeghishe Kirakosyan, the Representative of Armenia before the European Court of Human Rights and Anna Joubin-Bret, Secretary of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law delivered opening remarks. During the meeting Anna Joubin-Bret presented the main components of an emergency tool kit for economies and public and private stakeholders in the event of a future health crisis.

On August 3, 2023 the Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia Vahe Gevorgyan attended the UN Security Council open debate on “Famine and conflict-induced global food insecurity” organized by the United States and delivered remarks on the humanitarian crisis and deteriorating risks of starvation in Nagorno-Karabakh resulting from the complete blockade, including the hindrance for the passage of all types of humanitarian goods by Azerbaijan since June 15, 2023. The effective and immediate response of the international community was emphasized to ensure full and unconditional implementation of the orders of the International Court of Justice and full respect for international human rights and humanitarian law.

2023 on August 16, an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council was held under the presidency of the United States, conveyed by the request of Armenia, in regards to the complete blockade of the Lachin Corridor by Azerbaijan since June 15 and the resulting humanitarian crisis. In his remarks, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan presented the impact of the humanitarian crisis on the people of Nagorno-Karabakh, especially vulnerable groups, emphasizing the risks of genocide against the people of Nagorno-Karabakh. The UN Security Council was called upon to take practical steps to address the humanitarian issues before the negative consequences lead to the ethnic cleansing of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh.

The UN Treaty Bodies and Special Procedures

In the framework of cooperation with the United Nations, the Republic of Armenia cooperates with the UN Treaty Bodies and Special Procedures (Special Rapporteurs, Independent Experts and Working Groups are the special procedures mandated by the UN Human Rights Council).

The Republic of Armenia submits regular reports to the UN Human Rights Treaty Bodies on the implementation of the core human rights documents signed by the Republic of Armenia. As of 2023, there are no submitted or delayed country reports (see https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/15/TreatyBodyExternal/countries.aspx?CountryCode=ARM&Lang=EN ).

Within the framework of cooperation with Special Procedures, Armenia provides relevant summary information to the UN by providing answers to questionnaires of Special Procedures.

The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process is another important UN monitoring mechanism, established in 2006, with the aim to periodically review human rights situation in all UN member states.

The review is carried out through submission of a national report by the government, reports of the UN bodies, as well as the reports of interested national and international non-governmental organizations. At the end of the review, the UN Human Rights Working Group prepares a report, presenting the summary of the observation, as well as the recommendations issued by the member states aimed at improving the human rights situation in the country under observation. In Armenia, this process is coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Armenia submitted 3 main UPR reports - in 2010, 2015, 2020, and prepared the 3rd voluntary mid-term report in December of 2022, due in early 2023 (see  https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/15/TreatyBodyExternal/countries.aspx?CountryCode=ARM&Lang=EN

2030 AGENDA FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

On January 1, 2016, 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) included in the "2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development" officially came into force. The Sustainable Development Goals are based on the success of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

In 2021, "The United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) for Armenia 2021-2025 " was signed, which defines the main priorities of the cooperation between Armenia and the UN in the field of development and the implementation of the SDGs for the next five years and reflects the response measures aimed at overcoming the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and the 44-day war.

The National Innovation Center for Sustainable Development Goals (SDG Lab) is also facilitating the process of implementation of the Sustainable Development, which is the first joint initiative of the Government of Armenia and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in the world, contributing to the implementation of sustainable development goals through innovative solutions and creating possible platforms for public-private sector cooperation.

In July of 2018, within the framework of the High-Level Political Forum of ECOSOC, Armenia presented its first Voluntary National Review (VNR) on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development, summarizing the progress of the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and targets arising from it.  The second VNR was submitted in July, 2020.

MEMBERSHIP FEE

Armenia regularly pays annual membership fees to the UN and other international organizations. For more than 10 years, Armenia has been included in the UN honor roll, which includes countries that transfer their membership fees to the regular budget in January. In January of 2023, the Government of the Republic of Armenia transferred 204,773.00 USD to the regular budget of the United Nations as a contribution to the membership of the Republic of Armenia in the United Nations for 2023.

Updated on 06.09.2023