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rights, and the achieving of world peace. The UN was founded in 1945 after World War II to replace the
League of Nations, to stop wars between countries, and to provide a platform for dialogue. It contains
multiple subsidiary organizations to carry out its missions.
There are currently 192 member states, including nearly every sovereign state in the world. From its
offices around the world, the UN and its specialized agencies decide on substantive and administrative issues
in regular meetings held throughout the year. The organization has six principal organs: the General
Assembly (the main deliberative assembly); the Security Council (for deciding certain resolutions for peace
and security); the Economic and Social Council (for assisting in promoting international economic and
social cooperation and development); the Secretariat (for providing studies, information, and facilities
needed by the UN); the International Court of Justice (the primary judicial organ); and the United Nations
Trusteeship Council (which is currently inactive). Other prominent UN System agencies include the World
Health Organization (WHO), the World Food Programme (WFP) and United Nations Children's Fund
(UNICEF). The UN's most visible public figure is the SecretaryGeneral, currently Ban Ki-moon of South
Korea, who attained the post in 2007. The organization is financed from assessed and voluntary
contributions from its member states, and has six official languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French,
Russian and Spanish.

Task 17. Read and translate the text. Write down the unknown words and words expressions. Put 10-
15 questions to the text. Discuss with your partner the main items of the text.
Ukraine's attainment of sovereignty and independence in 1991 ushered in both an utterly new page in
its historical development and a range of issues which, if not resolved, would seriously undermine its
chances for integration into the world community.
Questions appeared about upgrading the country's overall infrastructure to conform to international
standards, especially in economics, medicine, education and the social sphere, about attaining an open,
democratic society, the protection of natural resources, human resource management, and the development
of new information and communications technologies.
To accelerate Ukraine's integration into the world community, it needed the assistance of international
organizations. The United Nations was one of the first to provide such assistance, having opened its
representative office in Kyiv in 1992. The UN's blue flag flutters above the house, located at Klovskiy Uzviz
1, today.
The UN following agencies are active in Ukraine: the United Nations Development Programme
(UNDP), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) , the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA),
the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the
United Nations High Commisioner For Refugees (UNHCR), the World Health Organization (WHO), the
International Labour Organization (ILO), and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS
(UNAIDS). Also active are UN related organizations, such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the
World Bank, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime(UNODC) and the International Finance
Corporation (IFC), which works under the bank. These organizations work in different areas and with their
own strategies, but are united by an overriding strategic goal: to assist the people of Ukraine in their efforts
to build a better future for the country.
The United Nations Development Assistance Framework, or UNDAF signed in August 2005 spells
out the relationship between Ukraine and the United Nations in Ukraine for the next five years (2006-2010).

Task 18. Read the text and speak on the main organs of the UNO.

General Assembly
The General Assembly is the main deliberative assembly of the United Nations. Composed of all
United Nations member states, the assembly meets in regular yearly sessions under a president elected from
among the member states. Over a two-week period at the start of each session, all members have the
opportunity to address the assembly.
When the General Assembly votes on important questions, a twothirds majority of those present and
voting is required. Examples of important questions include: recommendations on peace and security;
election of members to organs; admission, suspension, and expulsion of members; and, budgetary matters.
All other questions are decided by majority vote. Each member country has one vote.

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