UPSC Prelims 2022 Q78: UN General Assembly Observer Status — Explained
With reference to the United Nations General Assembly, consider the following statements:
1. The UN General Assembly can grant observer status to the non-member States.
2. Inter-governmental organisations can seek observer status in the UN General Assembly.
3. Permanent Observers in the UN General Assembly can maintain missions at the UN headquarters.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
- 1 and 2 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3
Statement-wise explanation
- 1: correct — The General Assembly decides by its own resolutions who may take part in its work as an observer. Two non-member States now hold this status: the Holy See and the State of Palestine. On 29 November 2012, resolution 67/19 made Palestine a 'non-member Observer State'. Switzerland also had observer status until it joined the UN in 2002.
- 2: correct — Under General Assembly decision 49/426 of December 1994, observer status is limited to States and to inter-governmental organisations whose work covers matters of interest to the Assembly. An IGO applies through a request that the Sixth (Legal) Committee examines, and the Assembly then adopts a resolution. The International Solar Alliance received observer status this way in December 2021.
- 3: correct — The UN lists the Holy See and the State of Palestine as non-member States that maintain Permanent Observer Missions at UN Headquarters in New York. About 25 inter-governmental organisations also keep permanent offices there, including the African Union, the European Union and the League of Arab States. Some other observers, such as the ICRC and the IPU, do too. Other observers take part in sessions without a permanent office.
How to eliminate
Each statement says observer status 'can' be granted or sought, or that missions 'can' be maintained. These are statements of permission, with no absolute words such as 'only' or 'always'. UN observer practice is broad, so permissive statements like these are usually true. Basic current affairs settles two of them. Palestine's 'non-member observer State' status (2012) and its mission in New York confirm Statements 1 and 3. Regular news that bodies such as the International Solar Alliance (2021) received UNGA observer status confirms Statement 2. With all three true, only the option that includes all of them fits. One fact to remember: decision 49/426 (1994) limits new observer status to States and inter-governmental organisations, so NGOs cannot get it.
Know more
Observer status in the UN General Assembly comes from the Assembly's own practice. Neither the UN Charter nor the Assembly's rules of procedure provide for it. The Assembly grants it by resolution. Since decision 49/426 (December 1994), new grants are limited to States and inter-governmental organisations (IGOs) whose work concerns the Assembly. Requests first go to the Sixth (Legal) Committee.
Observers can attend sessions, make statements and circulate documents. They cannot vote in the plenary. Since 2012, Palestine has been a non-member Observer State, and in 2024 the Assembly gave it some extra rights.
| Category | Examples | Permanent mission/office in New York? |
|---|---|---|
| Non-member States | Holy See, State of Palestine | Yes (Permanent Observer Missions) |
| IGOs with offices | African Union, European Union, League of Arab States, OECD | Yes |
| IGOs without offices | ASEAN, Asian Development Bank, OSCE, International Solar Alliance | No |
| Other entities | ICRC, IFRC, IOC, IPU, Sovereign Order of Malta | Yes |
Don't confuse these:
- UNGA observer status is not the same as ECOSOC consultative status. NGOs get consultative status with ECOSOC, not observer status in the UNGA.
- Admission as a full member needs a recommendation from the Security Council and a two-thirds vote of the General Assembly (Article 4 of the Charter). Observer status needs only an Assembly resolution.
- An observer can take part in debates but cannot vote. A member State has one vote in the Assembly.
How India connects: India and France moved the resolution that gave the International Solar Alliance observer status in December 2021. CERN has held UNGA observer status since 2012.
In the news
In December 2021, the UN General Assembly gave observer status to the International Solar Alliance, an India–France initiative. India's Permanent Representative had moved the draft resolution. This was in the news only months before Prelims 2022.