UNSC Reforms

UNSC Reforms

Subject : International Relations

Context: Reform of the United Nations has been a central theme of External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s visit to the United Nations. He   met with his counterparts from Germany, Brazil and Japan under The Group of Four (G4) banner following the BRICS meeting. The group is primarily focused on UN Security Council (UNSC) reform, and permanent membership for G4 members. On Thursday, they reiterated their commitment to pushing forward reform and expressed dissatisfaction at the lack of progress.

India is currently a non-permanent member of the Council.

• The G4 ministers expressed concern that the 76th Session of the UN General Assembly did not make “meaningful progress” in the Inter-Governmental Negotiations (IGN), which, according to the G4, was constrained by

Concept:

• The G4 nations comprising Brazil, Germany, India, and Japan are four countries which support each other’s bids for permanent seats on the United Nations Security Council.
• G4’s primary aim is the permanent member seats on the Security Council.
• Each of these four countries have figured among the elected non-permanent members of the council since the UN’s establishment.
• Their economic and political influence has grown significantly in the last decades, reaching a scope comparable to the permanent members (P5).
• However, the G4’s bids are often opposed by the Uniting for Consensus movement, and particularly their economic competitors or political rivals
• The Security Council was established by the UN Charter in 1945. It is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations.
• The other 5 organs of the United Nations are—the General Assembly, the Trusteeship Council, the Economic and Social Council, the International Court of Justice, and the Secretariat.
• Its primary responsibility is to work to maintain international peace and security.
• The council has 15 members: the five permanent members and 10 non-permanent members elected for two-year term
• The five permanent members are the United States, the Russian Federation, France, China and the United Kingdom.
• Each member of the Security Council has one vote. Decisions of the Security Council on matters are made by an affirmative vote of nine members including the concurring votes of the permanent members.
• A “No” vote from one of the five permanent members blocks the passage of the resolution.
• Any member of the United Nations which is not a member of the Security Council may participate, without vote, in the discussion of any question brought before the Security Council whenever the latter considers that the interests of that member are specially affected.
• The council’s presidency is a capacity that rotates every month among its 15 members.
• The council is headquartered at NewYork.