Jaishankar says UN reform blockers use, not care for, world body
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said frustration is growing across the international community over the lack of reform at the United Nations, and argued that countries blocking change are "using" the world body and "don't care" about it. He said the demand for reform has become stronger as more countries feel the UN must reflect present-day realities.
Speaking at a ministerial session on the sidelines of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly, Jaishankar said serious reform cannot move forward without text-based negotiations. He also said reform cannot depend on unanimity alone, and that differences should be resolved through a democratic process.
Jaishankar said the issue of UN reform comes up every year when countries gather in New York for the General Assembly session, but added, "I feel it's getting stronger." He said, "The frustrations are mounting because at the end of the day, if we are serious about reform, we need some text-based negotiation because you can't have a negotiation without a text. Then it's not a negotiation. Then it's just gaining time." He underlined that the "sentiment for reform" had deepened.
Addressing the session titled 'Ruptures & Ramparts: Building Bridges for a Changing World', organised by the Observer Research Foundation, Reliance Foundation, UN in India and the Permanent Mission of India to the UN, Jaishankar said there was a wider feeling that the UN needed to change and align itself more closely with the real world. "The UN is seen as behind the curve. That's not being anti-UN. It's actually those who care for the UN would like to reform the UN. I would suggest to you that those who oppose the reform are people who don't really care for the UN," he said. "They are using the UN, but they don't care for the UN...that's today a feeling which is very much stronger." The session was moderated by ORF President Samir Saran, and also featured Jamaica's Foreign Minister Kamina Johnson Smith, Suriname Foreign Minister Melvin Bouva, Ghana's Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and East-West Center President and Chief Executive Celeste Connors.
Jaishankar further said, "you're not going to get reform by unanimity." He added that in a democracy, choices are made "through majority, through a vote", and said all sides should be able to present their views before a vote is taken. Calling it a "no-brainer" that any reform process needed a draft to negotiate, he said, "You need to get everybody's ideas on that text, and then you need to find a democratic resolution of those ideas." He also said countries in the Global South were now more willing to work together and share, which helped "break the old dependencies" and made for a more democratic world. Referring to the selection of the next UN Secretary General, he said, "this idea that we have a woman SG, it's a bottom-up idea, not a top-down idea."
In his final address to the high-level UNGA debate, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres also called for Security Council reform so that it reflects today's world and has the legitimacy to deal with current geopolitical challenges. India has been at the forefront of long-standing efforts to reform the Security Council, including expansion in both permanent and non-permanent categories, arguing that the 15-member body set up in 1945 is not fit for purpose in the 21st century and does not reflect current geopolitical realities. India has also consistently said it deserves a permanent seat, and is contesting for a non-permanent seat on the Security Council for the 2028-29 term, with elections due in June next year.
