In a bid to ensure the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) remains equipped to tackle the world’s most pressing issues, the United Kingdom has reiterated its backing for India’s bid for permanent membership. This support, voiced by UK Ambassador to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Archie Young, aligns with broader calls to reform the UNSC to reflect the modern global landscape more accurately.
At a UNGA plenary session in New York on Monday, Young highlighted British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s appeal made at the UNGA in September for an overhaul of the UNSC, advocating for a system that is “more representative and more responsive.” According to Young, the UK supports permanent seats not only for India but also for African nations, Brazil, Germany, and Japan. “The UK believes that a reformed Council, coupled with a collective, renewed commitment to the UN Charter, would strengthen the Council so it can continue to rise to the challenges the world is facing; that is why we remain a strong supporter of UN Security Council reform,” Young stated, emphasizing the need to expand the Council’s membership. “We want to see permanent African representation and permanent seats for Brazil, Germany, India, and Japan,” he added.
Young’s statements at the UNGA come in the context of a growing discourse on the need for reform in the UNSC, particularly as world events highlight the limitations of the current multilateral system. Reflecting on the agenda for reform of the Security Council during the 2023 UN General Assembly session, Young pointed out the increasingly volatile global environment and underscored the urgency of strengthening multilateral mechanisms. He noted, “A year later, the situation is even more acute, and the need to strengthen our multilateral system through reform, ever more pressing.” The UK Ambassador went on to highlight Prime Minister Starmer’s concerns expressed at the UNGA regarding the mounting complexities and interconnections of global challenges that strain the multilateral system.
The ongoing conflicts affecting several regions have intensified discussions about UNSC reform. “Conflict touches more countries now than at any time in the history of the United Nations,” Young said, referencing crises in Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan, and other regions worldwide. He stressed the essential role of the Security Council, noting, “The Security Council’s role – and its responsibility for international peace and security – is as important now as it has ever been.”
Acknowledging the difficulties inherent in designing a suitable reform model, Young conceded that “agreeing on a model of reform” for the Security Council will be challenging. Nevertheless, he underscored the importance of addressing this issue. “It is incumbent on all of us to work together, in the spirit of compromise, to deliver the change we know is needed. The UK is committed to doing just that,” Young stated. He expressed the UK’s commitment to engaging in “detailed and constructive discussions” in upcoming intergovernmental negotiations and expressed hope that these talks would pave the way for text-based negotiations on UNSC reform.
The UK’s call for reform coincided with a similar appeal from India. At the plenary session, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Parvathaneni Harish, underscored the urgent need for UNSC reform, echoing sentiments that have long been advocated by India and other nations. Harish noted that UNSC reform was designated a priority at recent global discussions but expressed frustration over the lack of progress. He stated, “As we begin this year’s deliberations, we note that the reform of the UN Security Council was once again identified as a critical and immediate priority at the summit of the future discussions by our leaders.” However, despite decades of calls for reform, Harish expressed disappointment over the lack of tangible progress since the Council’s last expansion in 1965, which only added seats in the non-permanent category.
