NEW DELHI, India on Friday strongly called for expansion of the UN Security Council, with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar saying the global body’s effectiveness and credibility would remain “constrained” without its reform.
Jaishankar made the remarks at a closed-door meeting of BRICS foreign ministers in New Delhi.
“We meet at a time when the effectiveness of global governance and the credibility of multilateralism are under increasing scrutiny,” he said.
He pointed out that “the world today has become more interconnected, complex and multipolar than it was when many of our current institutions were created. However, the structures underpinning global governance have not kept pace with these changes.”
Jaishankar listed four specific points to push for reform of key international bodies and multilateral trading systems, and emphasized that reform of the United Nations and its subsidiary bodies remains “central.”
“The membership of the United Nations has expanded significantly, and its responsibilities have increased. However, the main structures, especially the Security Council, still reflect a previous era,” he said.
“Without meaningful reform, including expansion of the permanent and non-permanent categories, the effectiveness and credibility of the United Nations will remain constrained. Representation of Asia, Africa and Latin America is essential,” he noted.
India has been a strong contender for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council.
Explaining the second point, Jaishankar said it was time for serious negotiations to reform the UN Security Council.
“The BRICS itself discussed this issue in depth, especially at the Johannesburg summit. Our final documents reflected this consensus. But there is still much to be done to make reform a reality,” he said.
“Thirdly, there is an urgent need to reform the international financial architecture,” the Minister of Foreign Affairs said.
He said there was a need to reform the global financial architecture to effectively deal with various economic challenges including vulnerabilities in supply chains, pressures on food and energy security, and unequal access to vital resources.
He added, “Fourth, the multilateral trading system must be strengthened and reformed. Non-market practices, the concentration of supply chains, and uncertainty about market access have exposed the global economy to new risks.”
Jaishankar said that a rules-based, fair, open and inclusive trading system, with the World Trade Organization at its heart, remains essential.
“At the same time, it must address inequalities and reflect the concerns of developing countries,” he said.
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