How long will 5 members override 188 nations: India on UNSC reform
- India has questioned how much longer can the will of five permanent members of the powerful UN body continue to override the collective voice of the world organisation’s 188 member states.
Key Highlights
- India’s Permanent Representative at the UN Ambassador, speaking at the Inter-Governmental Negotiations on Security Council Reform
- Stressed that “equity” must be the cornerstone of global efforts to reform the 15-nation UN body.
- “Equity demands that every nation, irrespective of its size or power, be afforded an equal opportunity to shape global decision-making
- the five permanent members of the Council – China, France, Russia, the UK and the US
- Whose exclusive veto rights have the power to impact decision-making in the Security Council on matters of maintenance of international peace and security.
- The Council’s other 10 members are elected for two-year terms to the non-permanent category and they do not have veto powers.
- Expanding only in the non-permanent category of the Council will not solve the problem.
- It will in fact widen the difference between permanent and non-permanent members even more, thereby perpetuating inequities instead of removing
Prelims Takeaway
- UNSC
- Security Council Reform