New York: G4 member leaders ‘vouch’ for participation of Global South in UNSC, assert reforms

On September 21, 2023, the Group of Four Nations (G4) met on the sidelines of the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York to engage in discussions about reforms of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

Leaders Involved

Foreign Minister of Brazil Mauro Vieira, Federal Foreign Minister of Germany Annalena Baerbock, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan Yoko Kamikawa, and Ministry of External Affairs, Secretary (West), Sanjay Verma discussed the state of play of the negotiations for the reforms.

The Joint Statement

In a joint statement, the ministers from all four countries underscored that multilateralism is under significant strain due to various multiple and complex crises. They also concurred that the UNSC’s inability to effectively and timely address contemporary global challenges reinforces the urgent need for its comprehensive reform.

They reiterated that the expansion of the Security Council in both permanent and non-permanent is essential to make the body more representative, legitimate, effective, and efficient. Noting a record number of member states that explicitly acknowledge the need for UNSC reforms, the ministers emphasised the need for momentum to advance the discussions on this critical and urgent issue.

Participation of the Global South in UNSC

They agreed on the need to enhance the role and participation of developing countries in the UNSC, in both permanent and non-permanent member categories, Recognizing the historical injustice with regard to the representation in the UNSC, they underlined the importance of increasing the participation of the Global South, Third World and developing states in continents such as Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean.

In this very context, the leaders, and ministers of the G4 reaffirmed their strong support for the Common African Position(CAP) and emphasised that Africa needs to be represented in both categories and memberships, permanent as well as non-permanent of a reformed Security Council in line with the CAP as enshrined in the Ezulwini Consensus and Sirte Declaration.

Agreeing on the need to enhance the role and participation of the G4 Members as major contributing countries to the maintenance of international peace and security in the Security Council, the G4 leaders reiterated their support for each other’s candidacy as aspiring new permanent members in a reformed Security Council which they aimed to achieve through an open transparent and democratic process consistent with the UN Charter.

The Secretary (West) of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Sanjay Verma represented India at the G4 Foreign Ministers meeting on the margins of the UNGA. The G4 Foreign Ministers also voiced strong concern over the persistent absence of meaningful progress on Security Council reform in the IGN (Intergovernmental Negotiations framework).

About the G4

The G4 is a grouping of Brazil, Germany, India and Japan which are aspiring to become permanent members of the UNSC. The G4 nations traditionally meet on the sidelines of the annual high-level UN General Assembly session.

Need for UNSC Reforms

The UN actually represents a larger world and the most ironic fact is that it has only 5 permanent members in its important body. The current composition of the Security Council represents the post-World War II realities and thus is not in pace and speed with the altering balance of power in the world.

At the time of the formation of the UNSC, big powers were given privileges to make them part of the council. This was necessary for its proper functioning as well as to avoid failures like that of the organization “League of Nations”, in the First World War. The regions like far East Asia, South America, and Africa have no representation in the permanent membership of the council.