United Nations law and the Security Council

The activities of the Security Council have expanded tremendously since the end of the Cold War and scholarly interest on the work of the Council has also accelerated.

The Security Council is at the centre of the United Nations regime for maintaining international peace and security.

The Council is given broad enforcement powers under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations to force states to comply with its demands.

Decisions of the Security Council adopted under Chapter VII take precedence over all other obligations of member states.

However, some Security Council decisions reflect the geopolitical interests of individual Permanent Members of the Council and not necessarily the interests of the United Nations.

These decisions sometimes appear to conflict with United Nations Law.

This book surveys the manner in which the Security Council has managed international conflicts and the extent to which the Council's decisions have been consistent with United Nations Law.