The Security Council has primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. It has 15 Members, and each Member has one vote. Under the Charter of the United Nations, all Member States are obligated to comply with Council decisions.
The Security Council takes the lead in determining the existence of a threat to the peace or act of aggression. It calls upon the parties to a dispute to settle it by peaceful means and recommends methods of adjustment or terms of settlement. In some cases, the Security Council can resort to imposing sanctions or even authorize the use of force to maintain or restore international peace and security.
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Vassily Nebenzia, Permanent Representative of Russia to the UN and President of the Security Council for October 2025, presiding over the WPS open debate
Security Council Programme of Work
Discover the Security Council's lineup of events scheduled for this month.
The presidency of the Council is held by each of the members in turn for one month, following the English alphabetical order of the Member States names.
22 October 2025 — Following renewal of the Security Council’s sanctions regime in Haiti and a resolution to create a new Gang Suppression Force to combat the scourge of gang violence, ambassadors heard this afternoon from the top UN official in the country. In his first briefing as head of the UN office in Haiti (BINUH), Carlos Ruiz Massieu reported on latest developments, as brutal violence and insecurity continues to rage, increasing pressure on diplomats to act fast and decisively to protect millions of Haitians facing impunity and chaos. UN News app users can follow live coverage here.
There are 14 ongoing sanctions regimes which focus on supporting the political settlement of conflicts, nuclear non-proliferation, and counter-terrorism.