Security Council still doesn't reflect current geo-political landscape, says India's Permanent Representative to UN Ruchira Kamboj

UNSC reforms: India`s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj, said, "Equitable representation in Security Council was included in General Assembly agenda more than 40 yrs ago. It's regrettable that work on the issue has nothing substantive to show even after 4 decades."

Image courtesy: ANI

New York: India`s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj, said that the longer the security council reform is stalled the greater the deficit in representation and representation is an inescapable precondition for its legitimacy and effectiveness. Ruchira Kamboj on Thursday said this while delivering the G4 Statement at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on equitable representation of the UN Security Council.

India`s Permanent Representative to the UN said, "Consequently, the council still doesn't reflect the current geo-political landscape. In contrast, many other international institutions made strides to change and adapt. There's simply no reason to leave the Security Council out of it."

The longer the security council reform is stalled the greater the deficit in representation and representation is an inescapable precondition for its legitimacy and effectiveness: Ruchira Kamboj, Permanent Rep to UN on behalf of G4 nations pic.twitter.com/W4IF9kjmY6 — ANI (@ANI) November 18, 2022

Ruchira Kamboj is further quoted by ANI as saying "Equitable representation in Security Council was included in General Assembly agenda more than 40 yrs ago. It's regrettable that work on the issue has nothing substantive to show even after 4 decades."

"Today I delivered the G4 Statement at the UNGA on equitable representation of the UN Security Council. The longer reform is stalled, greater the deficit in representation which is an inescapable precondition for Security Council legitimacy and effectiveness," Kamboj tweeted. 

Speaking on behalf of the G4 countries - Brazil, Germany, Japan, and India, Ruchira said "It is also important to bear in mind that during this year`s High-level week, including the General Debate of the 77th General Assembly, more than 70 Heads of State and Government and high-level governmental representatives underlined that reforming the Security Council should be one of our priorities during this session. This broad support for this topic confirms its relevance and urgency." 

She stressed it is high time to bring the Security Council in line with its Charter responsibility to act on behalf of the entire Membership, adding "This will not be achieved without enhancing the membership in both categories. Only this will enable the Council to effectively manage today`s global conflicts and increasingly complex and interconnected global challenges it faces today."

Ambassador Kamboj said the G4 has been consistently asking for a single consolidated text and for renewed working methods to bring about an open, inclusive and transparent process, with webcasting, record-keeping and the application of the rules of procedure of the General Assembly, adding "A single consolidated text, preferably with attribution, is the only means to move away from the cycle of repetition of well-known positions that have been the trademark of the IGN (Intergovernmental Negotiations) in the recent past." 

Talking about the G4`s position, she said the four nations uphold the need for a comprehensive reform of the Security Council, with the expansion of seats in both categories of membership, equitable regional representation, more transparent and inclusive working methods, and an enhanced relationship with other UN bodies, including the General Assembly. 

(With ANI Inputs)