With 80th anniversary of U.N. looming ‘G4’ seeks urgent UNSC reform

G4 countries push for urgent UN Security Council reform to enhance global representation and address significant challenges.

With the United Nations (UN) approaching its 80th anniversary next year, the Group of Four (G4) countries — India, Brazil, Germany and Japan — seeking permanent membership and reform of the UN Security Council (UNSC) called for urgent reform of the world body

The countries’ meeting. held on the fringes of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at the Foreign Minister level on September 23, reviewed progress made on these reforms.

In the joint statement released on September 26, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his counterparts noted the “significant challenges” to the multilateral system, centred around the UN, as they welcomed the urgent call for reform at the UN’s ‘Summit of the Future’, held earlier this week.

The G4 Ministers reiterated the need for an increase in both permanent and non-permanent categories of UNSC membership, to enhance the participation of developing countries, as well as “ those significantly contributing to international peace and security” at the UNSC .

The group highlighted the need for better representation for regions such as Africa, Asia-Pacific and Latin America and the Caribbean in permanent and non-permanent categories.

They also reaffirmed their strong support to the Common African Position (CAP) based on Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration.

The Ministers “voiced strong concern” over progress in the intergovernmental negotiations (IGN) and said text-based negotiations needed to start urgently.