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43rd Plenary Meeting of General Assembly 72nd Session
Negotiations aimed at improving the Security Council’s ability to respond quickly and effectively to emerging challenges must remain a transparent, Member State driven process free of politicization, delegates emphasized this morning, as the General Assembly concluded its annual debate on the 15 member organ’s reform.
Kaha Imnadze (Georgia), Co Chair of Intergovernmental Negotiations on United Nations Security Council Reform, said that while reform efforts had come a long way, their complexity should not be underestimated. As the process was first and foremost driven by Member States, the Co Chairs would engage with all countries and groups in a transparent and inclusive manner to ensure a credible process aimed at bridging gaps. “We will all need to be forward looking, focused not only on the positions that have already been expressed and are well known, but also on how to move ahead in a meaningful way,” he said.
Belgium’s representative, agreeing that Security Council reform was critical for the credibility and proper operation of the United Nations, said such efforts should seek to make the Organization more representative, effective and transparent. He emphasized the importance of addressing the issue of fair representation, including by giving African countries and small- and medium sized Member States greater opportunities to participate in the deliberations of an enlarged Council. While progress had been made in recent years, efforts must continue moving forward, he stressed, adding that the reform process would be successful if Member States negotiated in good faith.
The representative of Chile was among the speakers voicing support for both an increase in the number of Council members as well as reforms to improve the body’s working methods. The recent selection and appointment of Secretary General António Guterres, as well as the increase in the Council’s open meetings, had demonstrated that such progress was possible. Stressing the need to increase both categories of the Council’s membership — thereby allowing it to become a more truly representative and reactive body — he said an increase in the number of permanent members should not mean an expansion of the use of the veto power under any circumstances.
Algeria’s representative said the reform process must be comprehensive, addressing all substantive issues relating to the questions of the Council’s membership and regional representation, as well as its agenda, working methods and decision making process, including the veto. “To correct the current imbalance […] we must enlarge its size and take into account the prolonged historical injustice towards the African continent,” he stressed, reiterating the African Group’s continued demand for no fewer than two permanent seats for the region with all the prerogatives of permanent membership, and a total of five non permanent seats.
The representative of Venezuela, echoing calls to make the Council more representative, democratic and transparent, said the body must also incorporate different geographical and geopolitical realities and bear in mind the historical aspirations of peoples from different regions. “Peace is an issue that affects the entire membership of the United Nations,” he emphasized, noting that the rigid opposition of some current Council members had kept many of its meetings closed. He also voiced concern over abuses in the use of sanctions — which were too often resorted to hastily and on political grounds, even in cases where there existed no threat to international peace and security — noting that the United States had used the veto to defend Israel’s actions in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and imposed unilateral sanctions on Venezuela in contravention of that country’s right to settle its own internal affairs.
The representative of the United States, meanwhile, voiced support for the intergovernmental negotiations process as well as her delegation’s openness to reasonable proposals for modest expansion in both categories of the Council’s membership. However, consideration of any new permanent members must take into account candidates’ willingness and ability to contribute to the maintenance of international peace and security, and to exercise the heavy responsibilities that came with membership, she stressed, adding that the United States remained opposed to any expansion or alteration of the veto.
Also speaking were the representatives of Poland, Turkey, Costa Rica, Azerbaijan, Portugal, Botswana and Kuwait.
The representative of Myanmar spoke in exercise of the right of reply.
The Assembly will reconvene at 10 a.m. on Thursday, 9 November, to elect five members of the International Court of Justice.
