UN Security Council reform most important, yet stagnating: India

The reform of the UN Security Council has been the most important and yet stagnating processes of the General Assembly, India has said. The country called for action towards early reform of the UN organ that rightfully accords a ‘central and leading’ role to Africa to ensure the council reflects the world of today and not of 1945.

Addressing a high-level plenary meeting to commemorate the International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace here on Wednesday, Sanjay Rana, director-general of the UN Division, Government of India, emphasised that multilateralism was in crisis today, at a time when the world needed it the most.

“Like every crisis, this crisis in multilateralism, presents an opportunity for all of us to reinvigorate our efforts. We should redouble our efforts not only in preserving what we have achieved but also in reinventing it as we move forward,” he said.

Rana said, “the reform of the peace and security pillar of the UN, i.e, the Security Council has perhaps been the most important and yet stagnating processes of the General Assembly.”

Early reform

The international community must take action towards early reform ‘so that Africa is given a central and leading role in an internationally formed new order especially in a reformed and expanded Security Council and so that the Council reflects the world of today and not of 1945,’ he said. Rana said this was essential to enable nations to effectively deal with the myriad of new challenges and threats facing the world today but also to do justice to the young generation who will inherit the fruits of our action or inaction.

He noted that the conversation on multilateralism has not been easy and will continue to be challenging in the future as well but the international community will need to commit itself at every step of this process.

“While for some it may be a commitment to rules-based order and to others to may be a reaffirmation of the status quo of the multilateral frameworks, the majority of this assembly believes that reform is the only way forward on this path,” he said adding that secretary-general Antonio Guterres himself had called for promotion of a reformed, reinvigorated and strengthened multilateral system and this vision reflects the overwhelming sentiment of the assembly.

Goal in mind

He pointed out that the upcoming 75th anniversary of the UN, which was created in 1945, presents an opportunity for everyone to recommit themselves to the work needed to achieve this goal.

As the world body approaches the 75th anniversary, the challenges overshadow what nations have achieved and ‘our work in the next two years will mark the level of our ambition we set for ourselves.’

As time for effective climate action is running out, nations are still lagging behind. “If we are to fulfil our commitments and demonstrate genuine results, international cooperation and coordination is fundamental… It is clear that the challenges we face today can not be addressed by any member states or region alone. Frankly, there is no second option to multilateralism to deal with the challenges that we face,” he said.