"How can we allow five permanent members to override collective voice of 188 members": India calls for UNSC reforms
India"s permanent ambassador to the United Nations, Ruchira Kamboj stated that India supports comprehensive UNSC reforms across all five clusters, including an expansion in both the permanent and non-permanent categories.
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New Delhi, Feb 17: Calling out the United Nations Security Council for not bringing in reforms in the global body, India's permanent ambassador to the United Nations, Ruchira Kamboj has questioned how the "five permanent members to eternally override the collective voice of 188 member states". She also highlighted that India supports a comprehensive reform of the UNSC across all five clusters, including an expansion in both the permanent and non-permanent categories.
This statement came as Kamboj was speaking at the intergovernmental negotiations on Security Council Reform in New York on Saturday.
While highlighting the future vision for the Security Council, she said,
“Our reform must be guided, I would say, by a bold vision for a more equitable and inclusive world. Comprehensive reform across all clusters under discussion, including an expansion in both the permanent and non-permanent categories, is imperative to realizing this vision." - Indian permanent ambassador to the United Nations, Ruchira Kambhoj
Kamboj further asked the co-chairs whether expanding only in the non-permanent category would not solve the problem.
“"It will, in fact, not reforming one category of the United Nations Security Council at all will widen the difference between permanent and non-permanent members even more, thereby perpetuating inequities instead of removing these, and thereby further entrenching a dispensation that is no longer relevant in the current geopolitical context," - Indian permanent ambassador to the United Nations, Ruchira Kambhoj
“We support a comprehensive reform of the UN Security Council across all 5 clusters under discussion, including an expansion in both the permanent & non permanent categories..”
— India at UN, NY (@IndiaUNNewYork) February 17, 2024
- 🇮🇳’s statement at the intergovernmental negotiations on Security Council Reform pic.twitter.com/wcoZs5k3aW
Stressing on the concept of "equal opportunity", India's permanent ambassador to the United Nations said that equity demands that every nation, irrespective of its size or power be afforded an equal opportunity to shape global decision-making. "As has been wisely stated, more than ever before in human history, we share a common destiny. We can master it only if we face it together," she added.
Emphasising that the "historical injustices" perpetrated against the global south can no longer be ignored, she said,
“It is time to rectify these disparities by ensuring greater representation for regions like Asia, Latin America and Africa on the UNSC through reform in both its categories, permanent and non-permanent. Indeed, injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere" - Indian permanent ambassador to the United Nations, Ruchira Kambhoj
India's permanent ambassador to the UN, underscored the inclusion of the African Union as a full member state of the G20 during India's presidency and said that it "serves as a powerful testament to the transformative power of political will". India's proactive stance underscores that where there is determination, there is a path to meaningful reform that will ensure equity.
India's permanent ambassador to the United Nations, also spoke on "amplifying diverse voices."
“Empowering nations from the global south ensures that all perspectives are heard and respected and that diversity and democracy of voices are brought to the table, leading to more inclusive decision-making, a more inclusive council and the operative word is inclusive, to foster broader consensus and legitimacy in its decisions," - Indian permanent ambassador to the United Nations, Ruchira Kambhoj
Moreover, she said that there are many fundamental issues in this discourse.
"But the most fundamental is this question, can we allow five permanent members, we have all just agreed that this permanent category is not going to go away. So can we allow five permanent members to eternally override the collective voice of 188 member states? Let us not forget that this is the whole purpose of this reform, to write historical injustice to ensure inclusive decision-making through an expansion, we feel in the permanent and non-permanent categories of membership, including reform in the working methods of the council, which also includes the question of the veto," - Indian permanent ambassador to the United Nations, Ruchira Kambhoj
India has repeatedly called for reforms in United Nations Security Council on international platforms.