External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said the United Nations remains a prisoner of the past and countries of the Global South can no longer be ignored and their adequate representation in the permanent category in a reformed UN Security Council is particularly essential.
Mr Jaishankar made these remarks at the 2nd Foreign Ministers’ Meeting of the G-20 Brasil 2024 on the theme ‘Building a Just World and a Sustainable Planet’.
Mr Jaishankar said, “The world has evolved into a smart, interconnected and multipolar region, and the number of UN members has quadrupled since its inception. Yet, the UN remains a prisoner of the past.”
As a result, he said, the UN Security Council struggles to fulfil its mandate to maintain international peace and stability, undermining its effectiveness and credibility.
Addressing an event at the UN Headquarters on Wednesday, Mr Jaishankar said that “without reforms, including expansion in both categories of UN Security Council membership”, the effectiveness of the 15-nation body will continue to decline.
“Expansion and fair representation in the permanent category is particularly necessary. Asia, Africa and Latin America – the global South – cannot be ignored,” he said, adding that they must be given their legitimate voice.
Mr Jaishankar stressed that real change must happen, and that too quickly.
India has been at the forefront of efforts over the years to reform the Security Council, including expansion in both its permanent and non-permanent categories. India says the 15-nation council, established in 1945, is not fit for 21st century purposes and does not reflect contemporary geopolitical realities.
Delhi has shown that it truly deserves a permanent place in this position.
India last sat on the UN High Council as a non-permanent member in 2021-22. A polarised Security Council has also failed to tackle current peace and security challenges, with council members sharply divided over conflicts such as the Ukraine war and the Israel-Hamas conflict.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has also said that when the United Nations was established about 80 years ago, it had 51 member countries and today it has 193 countries.
The UN chief warned that the 15-nation UN Security Council, which he described as “outdated” and eroding its authority, will eventually lose all credibility unless its structure and functioning are reformed. The UN chief made a clarion call that “we cannot build a future for our grandchildren with a system built for our grandparents.”
Regarding reform of the multilateral trading system, Mr Jaishankar said India remains steadfast in its commitment to a rules-based, non-discriminatory, fair, open, inclusive, equitable and transparent multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organisation (WTO) at its core.
He said Delhi strongly supports policies that promote trade and investment, and enable every nation to thrive in an interconnected and dynamic world.
He said that to promote a favourable trade and investment environment, “we must ensure a true level playing field and fair competition. Market distorting practices and protectionism must be strongly discouraged.”
India calls for comprehensive reform of the WTO to enhance its functions through an inclusive, member-driven and transparent process.
“It is committed to constructive discussions to realize a fully functional and effective dispute settlement system that is accessible to all members.”
He stressed that a reformed and fair multilateral trading system is “critical to making our future more equitable and inclusive.” “This requires bold, transformative action. The world is looking to the G20 in this regard,” he said.
Presenting India’s views on key areas of global governance reform, Mr. Jaishankar highlighted the need for reform of the international financial architecture.
“The Bretton Woods institutions must now focus on the urgent issues posed by persistent development challenges and the pressures of climate change,” he said, adding that neither the multilateral development banks (MDBs) nor the traditional global financial system are designed to deal with this.
He said the financing and investment gap for the Sustainable Development Goals, estimated at US$4 trillion annually, needs to be urgently addressed.
He stressed that MDBs must be made stronger, broader and more effective as the mainstay of the global development financing landscape.
He recalled that significant progress has been made during India’s G20 Presidency, and G20 leaders have called for scaling up climate finance from billions to trillions.
Mr Jaishankar said the group is chaired by Brazil and has continued this momentum.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
