G4 nations call for UN Security Council reform, membership expansion

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
22 Sep 2023 11:56

The request for expanding membership opportunities comes in an effort by the G4 to make the UNSC body more representative, diverse, and effective.

Last-minute preparations are made before the start of the United Nations General Assembly, New York City, US, on Sept. 19, 2023. (AFP)

On the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, top diplomats of the G4 countries - Brazil, Japan, India, and Germany - convened and urged for a "comprehensive" reform of the UN Security Council (UNSC) and membership expansion.

In a joint statement published by the Brazilian Foreign Ministry after the meeting on Thursday, the diplomats stated, "[The ministers] concurred that the UN Security Council's inability to effectively and timely address contemporary global challenges reinforces the urgent need for its comprehensive reform so that it better reflects contemporary geopolitical realities."

The diplomats - Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira, top German diplomat Annalena Baerbock, their Japanese counterpart, Yoko Kamikawa, and Indian Deputy Foreign Minister Sanjay Verma - requested a plan for the UNSC to expand in permanent and non-permanent membership by inviting developing nations, including those in the African, Latin American continents and the Caribbean.

The request comes in an effort to make the UN body more representative, diverse and effective.

The statement relayed, "In this context, the G4 Ministers reaffirmed their strong support to the Common African Position (CAP) and emphasized that Africa needs to be represented in both the permanent and non-permanent categories of membership of a reformed and expanded Security Council".

UNSC must adapt to challenges

According to the diplomats, the future of the UNSC's role is bound to be determined by its ability to adapt to today's challenges, because the more time it takes for it to adapt and resolve the issues, the more its effectiveness will come into question.

Back in June, The Washington Post reported the Biden administration is reportedly working on a proposal to restructure the UNSC with the aim of restoring trust in the top global governance organization by acknowledging the current fragmented balance of global power.

The objective of the proposal is to recognize the growing influence of developing countries and to address the widespread dissatisfaction with the current members of the council's inability to resolve global conflicts effectively, according to The Washington Post.