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Updated September 16th, 2020 at 22:45 IST

India, Brazil, South Africa stress 'urgent' need for reforms in UN Security Council

IBSA Foreign Ministers’ Virtual Meeting, chaired by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, issued a joint statement where it emphasized need for UNSC reforms

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India, Brazil, and South Africa on Wednesday reaffirmed and recalled the need for tangible reforms in the United Nations Security Council which includes expansion of both permanent and non-permanent seats.

IBSA Foreign Ministers’ Virtual Meeting, chaired by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, issued a joint statement where it emphasized the need for the international community to redouble efforts and bolster commitment to achieve tangible progress to an accelerated and comprehensive reform of the UNSC as the world body commemorates its 75th anniversary.

India is one of the aspiring candidates for a permanent, veto-wielding, seat at the top UN body, alongside Brazil, Germany, and Japan (the G4). New Delhi has so far received public support from all current permanent members — United States, Russia, Britain, France — barring China.

"We renew our commitment to work for the expansion of Security Council membership to include representation from emerging and developing countries of Asia, Latin America, and Africa, in both the permanent and non-permanent categories, for achieving a representative, inclusive, equitable, responsive, and effective UN Security Council. The legitimacy of the Security Council rests on whether its composition is equitable and reflective of the aspirations and perspectives of the UN’s membership," the joint statement said, noting the urgent nature of the proposed measures.

The countries observed that the existing international governance structure is obsolete and cannot be fit-for-purpose to effectively address current peace and security challenges and the failure to reform the UNSC has serious implications for global peace and security.

READ | India, Russia Discuss Partnership In Nuclear And Space Sectors, Agree To UNSC Cooperation

READ | Jaishankar Says 'global Street' Wants India As Permanent UNSC Member, Opens Up On Hurdles

'Move towards a result-oriented process'

The foreign ministers also reiterated their support for the representation of Africa in the Council in both the permanent and non-permanent categories and expressed their unequivocal support for the Common African Position, as stated in the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration. The Ezulwini Consensus calls for not less than two permanent seats for African countries with the right of veto and five non-permanent seats.

The IBSA leaders also expressed frustration with the slow pace of progress on Security Council reforms in the Inter-Governmental Negotiations process, which lacks transparency in its working methods. The Ministers insisted that the time has come to move towards a result-oriented process, with provision for substantive negotiations based on a single comprehensive text, in a formal setting.

Moreover, Brazil and South Africa congratulated India on its successful election as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the term 2021-2022. "As an IBSA member, India will be a strong voice in the Council and will continue to be a defender of a rules-based system in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations," the joint statement said.

READ | India Demands Tangible Action On UNSC Reform; Bats For Africa And Exposes Unnamed China

READ | 'We Support India’s Candidacy For UNSC': French Defence Minister At Rafale Induction

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Published September 16th, 2020 at 22:45 IST

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