UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL (UNSC)

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Context

• President Ram Nath Kovind while addressing a special sitting of the House Assembly of Saint Vincent and the Grenadinesz called for urgent reform of global institutions, with the UN Security Council at its core, to reflect the contemporary global reality.
• Ram Nath Kovind also maintain that multilateralism is more relevant in today’s interconnected and interdependent world than it was at any time in past.

Reform in UNSC

• The United Nations Security Council is the international community’s principal organ for peacekeeping and conflict management. Unlike the decisions made by the General Assembly, its decisions (known as resolutions) are binding on all member states. That means it has wide-ranging powers and can, if necessary, take actions – e.g., the imposition of sanctions – that encroach on state sovereignty.
  • It is right and important that the Security Council should have these powers, but if its resolutions are to be respected and implemented by all countries, the Council needs to have the necessary authority and legitimacy. This means it has to be representative.
• The current composition of the Security Council reflects the geopolitical situation of 1945. The Council’s present composition is no longer representative of a world that has seen 142 new countries join the United Nations since 1945.
• Alongside the call for a geographically balanced distribution of seats, the Charter of the United Nations also expressly states that countries that make considerable contributions to the UN should be members of the Security Council.
• The current rate of progress in the UNSC raises serious questions about its ability to serve the purpose of its existence.
• In September 2021, the G4 nations of India, Brazil, Germany and Japan underlined the urgency of reforming the Security Council to make it more legitimate, effective and representative by reflecting the reality of the contemporary world, including developing countries and major contributors.
• India also in BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meet emphasized UNSC reform for greater representation of developing countries and the need for a rebalanced and multipolar world.
• In January 2021, India joined UNSC as a non-permanent member for a two-year term and the country has been at the forefront of the years-long efforts to reform the powerful 15-nation UN organ.

About UNSC

• The UNSC, with a mandate to maintain international peace and security, is the centrepiece of global multilateralism.
• The UNSC is composed of 15 members, 5 permanent and 10 non-permanent.
• India has served seven times in the UN Security Council as a non-permanent member and in January 2021, India entered the UNSC for the eighth time.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/india-calls-for-urgent-reform-of-un-security-council-101653085129128.html