A UN Security Council that denies permanent membership to the world’s largest democracy cannot be considered inclusive and the first step to “future-proof” the world organisation would be to reform the Security Council, according to India.

“The reform of the UN Security Council (UNSC) is the fundamental starting step towards ‘Futureproofing Trust for Sustaining Peace’”, India’s Permanent Representative Ruchira Kamboj said on Wednesday.

“Is the UNSC in its present form -- which denies permanent representation to entire continents of Africa, Latin America and the world’s largest democracy – can it be deemed to be ‘inclusive’”, Kamboj asked at an open debate at the Council.

If the Council “is to continue to engender trust and confidence" in its ability to lead the world, it must better represent the developing countries, Kamboj said.

With the interminable inter-governmental negotiation, as the reform process is called, set to meet on Thursday, she asked if it can be credible and effective without a time frame to conclude the discussions, she asked.

The open debate on “future-proofing” the UN to ensure its credibility and effectiveness, was convened by Switzerland, which is holding the Council presidency for the first time.

Switzerland’s Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis who presided over the meeting said, “We have to admit that we have not sufficiently taken account the frustrations and changes taking place on both sides of our planet” with the UN.

He said that it was necessary “to consider how this Council can strengthen the foundations of a broader peace architecture, which “must be inclusive and include those whom the population has designated as democratically legitimate”.

In addition to the Council, Kamboj said, “Multilateral institutions must be made more accountable to their membership, they must be open and welcoming to a diversity of viewpoints, particularly from the global South”. 

Drawing attention to India’s role as the president of the G20 – the group of major developed and emerging economies – Kamboj said that New Delhi “is committed to forging consensus through the G20 process in the effort to find solutions to global challenges”.

(SAM)