Security Council, the Use of Force and Regime Change: Libya and Cote d’Ivoire

Abstract

Between February and March 2011, the United Nations Security Council adopted a series of resolutions with potentially far reaching implications for international law relating to the use of force. The Council adopted Resolution 1970 (2011) and 1973 (2011), with respect to the situation in Libya on 26 February and 17 March respectively, and Resolution 1975 (2011) with respect to the situation in Cote d’Ivoire on 30 March. The operations in Libya to implement Resolution 1973 were led by the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) while the operations in Cote d’Ivoire to implement Resolution 1975 were led by UN Operations in Cote d’Ivoire (UNOCI) assisted by French forces.