News Highlight
Reforms in the UN Security Council (UNSC) have been a central theme of the External Affairs Minister’s visit to the United Nations this week.
Key Takeaway
- The External Affairs Minister met with his counterparts from Germany, Brazil, and Japan under the Group of Four (G4) banner following the BRICS meeting.
- The G4 also reiterated its support for African countries’ being represented in a permanent and nonÂ-permanent capacity.
United Nations Security Council
- About
- The UN Security Council is the premier global body for maintaining international peace and security.
- Established by the UN Charter in 1945, the UN Security Council, or UNSC, is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations.Â
- It is headquartered in New York.
- UNSC is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states.
- Composition of UNSC:
- The UNSC consists of 15 members.
- The Security Council has five permanent members:
- China
- France
- Russia
- The United Kingdom
- The United States
- These members are collectively known as the P5. Any one of them can veto a resolution.
- The council’s ten elected members, who serve two-year, non-consecutive terms, are not afforded veto power. Â
- These members are elected by a two-thirds vote of the UN General Assembly.
- Presidency of the UNSC:
- The council’s presidency is a capacity that rotates among its 15 members.
- The presidency changes hands every month between its members in the English alphabetical order of the member states’ names.
The need for UNSC reform
- To face new challenges:
- The UNSC was set up 75 years ago, with the principal aim of maintaining world peace and security.
- It has been successful in the decolonisation process and preventing another World War.
- However, the 21st-century world is very different from that 20th century and poses many new problems and realities.
- In order to face new issues and challenges, such as cross-border terrorism, the expansion of the UNSC is inevitable.
- Troop contribution:
- More than 2,53,000 Indians have served in 49 of the 71 UN Peacekeeping missions established around the world since 1948.
- Global peace efforts:
- India rescued not only Indians but also many persons from other countries, including Pakistan and USA, from war-ravaged Yemen and South Sudan under its operation Rahat and Sankat Mochan, respectively.
- Backing from major powers:Â
- India enjoys the backing of four permanent members other than China and those of the African Union, Latin America, Middle Eastern countries and other least developed countries (LDCs) from different parts of the globe.
- Founding member:
- India was among the founding members of the United Nations. Hence, it is India’s aspiration to get a permanent membership in the UNSC.
- Reference of former secretary general:
- The UN security council must take in new permanent members or risk becoming increasingly irrelevant on the international stage, former secretary general Kofi Annan said.
- Inclusivity:
- Developing countries like India, need to be made stakeholders in the multilateral institutions and involved in the decision-making process.
Content Source: The Hindu