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Delay in a comprehensive reform of the Security Council directly impacts the credibility and legitimacy of the UN, ministers say
The L.69 group of countries, alongside the African Union’s Committee of 10 (C-10), convened on Thursday (September 26, 2024) during the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York to address the pressing need for comprehensive reforms to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). Chaired by Saint Vincent and the Grenadines’ Prime Minister Ralph E. Gonsalves, who heads the L.69, this joint ministerial meeting underscored the urgency of making the UNSC more representative, transparent, and accountable.
Attending the first-ever joint ministerial meeting, Indian External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar reiterated the critical need for comprehensive reforms to the membership structure of the UNSC both permanent and non-permanent categories.
“Encouraged by the first - ever Joint Ministerial Meeting of L-69 and C-10 groupings of nations.
Highlighted the pressing need of comprehensive reform of UNSC membership in both permanent and non-permanent categories. Called for Text Based Negotiations in the IGN process to achieve concrete outcomes in a fixed timeframe.
Thank PM Ralph Gonsalves of St. Vincent and Grenadines for his exemplary leadership of L-69. Laud colleagues from C-10 for their enthusiastic participation today,” he posted on social media platform X, formerly Twitter.
According to India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the participating Ministers reiterated the urgent need to make the Security Council more representative, transparent, efficient, effective, democratic and accountable, and recognised that the Summit of the Future provided an opportunity for renewed commitment to Security Council reform. “The Ministers stressed the indispensable role to be played by developing countries in safeguarding the effectiveness, credibility and relevance of the Security Council’s decisions and outcomes,” the MEA stated.
The Ministers recognized that further delays in a comprehensive reform of the Security Council directly impacts the credibility and legitimacy of the United Nations, the MEA added.
During the meeting, the ministers agreed that any reform of the UNSC must include greater representation of developing nations, especially those from underrepresented and unrepresented regions. Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the Caribbean were highlighted as regions that must have a more significant role in UNSC decision-making processes. The inclusion of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) was also underscored as essential to creating a more inclusive and equitable Security Council.
The L.69 Group, composed primarily of developing nations from the Global South, has long advocated for reform that addresses historical injustices and promotes equitable representation.
A core element of the discussions centered on the reaffirmation of the Common African Position, as detailed in the Ezulwini Consensus and Sirte Declaration. This position, which advocates for a more substantial African representation on the UNSC, was strongly backed by all attending ministers. It calls for the allocation of at least two permanent seats with full veto power and five non-permanent seats for African nations.
"The Common African Position embodies the principle of African Solutions for African Challenges," said Prime Minister Gonsalves. The ministers unanimously agreed that this framework remains the only way to rectify the longstanding injustices inflicted on Africa by the existing Security Council structure.
A significant theme that emerged during the meeting was the call for political will and collaboration to bring about meaningful reforms. The ministers acknowledged that achieving the broadest possible political consensus on the five clusters outlined in the 2008 General Assembly Decision 62/557 is vital to moving forward. These clusters include categories of membership, the question of the veto, regional representation, the size of an enlarged Security Council, and its working methods.
On the sidelines of the meeting, EAM Jaishankar engaged with several key figures, including Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, whom he lauded for his leadership of the L.69 Group. He also met with Bhutanese Foreign Minister DN Dhungyel and Brazil’s Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira.
During his stay in New York, EAM Jaishankar met with Foreign Ministers from Kazakhstan, Morocco, Belgium, and Switzerland, continuing India’s efforts to build broad-based coalitions on multilateral issues, including UNSC reform.
The joint ministerial meeting of the L.69 and C-10 groupings marked a crucial step toward achieving Security Council reform. With the political will of developing nations growing stronger and the momentum building around the Summit of the Future, there is hope that substantive changes may finally be within reach.
Attending the first-ever joint ministerial meeting, Indian External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar reiterated the critical need for comprehensive reforms to the membership structure of the UNSC both permanent and non-permanent categories.
“Encouraged by the first - ever Joint Ministerial Meeting of L-69 and C-10 groupings of nations.
Highlighted the pressing need of comprehensive reform of UNSC membership in both permanent and non-permanent categories. Called for Text Based Negotiations in the IGN process to achieve concrete outcomes in a fixed timeframe.
Thank PM Ralph Gonsalves of St. Vincent and Grenadines for his exemplary leadership of L-69. Laud colleagues from C-10 for their enthusiastic participation today,” he posted on social media platform X, formerly Twitter.
According to India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the participating Ministers reiterated the urgent need to make the Security Council more representative, transparent, efficient, effective, democratic and accountable, and recognised that the Summit of the Future provided an opportunity for renewed commitment to Security Council reform. “The Ministers stressed the indispensable role to be played by developing countries in safeguarding the effectiveness, credibility and relevance of the Security Council’s decisions and outcomes,” the MEA stated.
The Ministers recognized that further delays in a comprehensive reform of the Security Council directly impacts the credibility and legitimacy of the United Nations, the MEA added.
During the meeting, the ministers agreed that any reform of the UNSC must include greater representation of developing nations, especially those from underrepresented and unrepresented regions. Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the Caribbean were highlighted as regions that must have a more significant role in UNSC decision-making processes. The inclusion of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) was also underscored as essential to creating a more inclusive and equitable Security Council.
The L.69 Group, composed primarily of developing nations from the Global South, has long advocated for reform that addresses historical injustices and promotes equitable representation.
A core element of the discussions centered on the reaffirmation of the Common African Position, as detailed in the Ezulwini Consensus and Sirte Declaration. This position, which advocates for a more substantial African representation on the UNSC, was strongly backed by all attending ministers. It calls for the allocation of at least two permanent seats with full veto power and five non-permanent seats for African nations.
"The Common African Position embodies the principle of African Solutions for African Challenges," said Prime Minister Gonsalves. The ministers unanimously agreed that this framework remains the only way to rectify the longstanding injustices inflicted on Africa by the existing Security Council structure.
A significant theme that emerged during the meeting was the call for political will and collaboration to bring about meaningful reforms. The ministers acknowledged that achieving the broadest possible political consensus on the five clusters outlined in the 2008 General Assembly Decision 62/557 is vital to moving forward. These clusters include categories of membership, the question of the veto, regional representation, the size of an enlarged Security Council, and its working methods.
On the sidelines of the meeting, EAM Jaishankar engaged with several key figures, including Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, whom he lauded for his leadership of the L.69 Group. He also met with Bhutanese Foreign Minister DN Dhungyel and Brazil’s Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira.
During his stay in New York, EAM Jaishankar met with Foreign Ministers from Kazakhstan, Morocco, Belgium, and Switzerland, continuing India’s efforts to build broad-based coalitions on multilateral issues, including UNSC reform.
The joint ministerial meeting of the L.69 and C-10 groupings marked a crucial step toward achieving Security Council reform. With the political will of developing nations growing stronger and the momentum building around the Summit of the Future, there is hope that substantive changes may finally be within reach.
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