Delegitimizing or Evolving? The Legality of UN Security Council Resolutions Imposing Duties on Non-State Actors

Abstract

This paper examines the legality of UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions dealing with non-state actors. As the current world order increasingly involves the need to handle transnational problems, understanding the spectrum of available solutions is crucial for successful global governance. A central institution of the international legal system, the UNSC, has adopted several resolutions, some binding, dealing with, and enforcing duties upon non-state actors. Can these resolutions be considered beyond the powers of the Security Council? Could these resolutions be indicative of the occurring change in global governance, or do they simply reflect the evolution of international law?

Keywords: Non-State Actors, Security Council, Ultra Vires Actions of the Security Council, Postinternational Relations, UN Charter, Law of Treaties