NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 22 – Meeting at ministerial level, the “Uniting for Consensus” Group (UfC: Argentina, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Italy, Malta, Mexico, Pakistan, Republic of Korea, San Marino, Spain, Türkiye) called today upon the UN membership to endorse its proposal for an increase of the number of non-permanent, elected, members, and the improvement of the Security Council’s methods of work.
Italy chaired the meeting which was held on the margins of the High-Level week of the United Nations 77th General Assembly in New York. Today a meeting of the so called ‘G4’ (Group of Four) countries took place. Comprising India, Brazil, Germany and Japan, it advocates the Council enlargement by adding to its fifteen seats more permanent members. Speaking to the General Assembly, President Joe Biden yesterday reiterated the US support to the addition of new permanent members: “For those nations we’ve long supported” and those in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, he added.
“In light of the deterioration of the current international security scenario, the UfC underlined the even more imperative need and urgency for a United Nations Security Council reform, that makes it a more democratic, accountable, representative, transparent and effective organ”, a joint statement of its members said: “The UfC reiterated their conviction that a comprehensive Security Council reform, that strengthens and enhances both regional representation and equitable geographical distribution, can only be achieved through an increase of the number of non-permanent, elected, members, and the improvement of the Security Council’s methods of work”.
Recalling that with the UfC proposal, Africa would become the largest group in a reformed Council, Asia-Pacific would have the highest percentage increase, Latin America and Eastern Europe would also double their representation and SIDS and Small States would be assigned a rotating two year non-permanent seat that would ensure their continued presence in the Council, the UfC reiterated their steadfast commitment to a Security Council reform that meets the aspirations of the entire UN membership to contribute to the maintenance of international peace and security.
The UfC reaffirmed its full commitment to a continued constructive engagement with the President of the General Assembly, the Chair/s of the Intergovernmental Negotiations (IGN) on The Question of Equitable Representation on and Increase in the Membership of the Security Council and Other Matters Related to the Security Council, all Member States and negotiating Groups. As its name implies, the Intergovernmental Negotiations (IGN) is a Member State driven process and remains the sole legitimate setting for discussion on Security Council reform. “Only with the widest possible political support from all the UN membership it will it be possible to reach a fair and equitable solution”, UFC concluded. (@OnuItalia)
