Intergovernmental Negotiations On Security Council Reform:
Participating in the Intergovernmental Negotiations on Security Council Reform, India has presented a detailed model on behalf of the G4 nations for United Nations Security Council Reform.
- The model includes new permanent members elected democratically by the UN General Assembly and shows flexibility on the veto issue.
- The G4 (Brazil, Germany, India and Japan) was created in 2004 and has been promoting Security Council reform.
- The model highlights the “glaring under-representation and un-representation” of key regions in the Council’s current composition, which hampers its legitimacy and effectiveness.
- The G4 model advocates for increasing the Security Council’s membership from the current 15 to 25-26 members.
- This expansion includes adding 6 permanent and 4 or 5 non-permanent members.
- Two new permanent members each are proposed from African states and Asia Pacific states, one from Latin American and Caribbean states, and one from Western European and Other states.
- In a departure from the existing framework where only the five permanent members hold veto powers, the G4 model offers flexibility on the veto issue.
- New permanent members would refrain from exercising the veto until a decision on the matter is taken during a review process, demonstrating a willingness to engage in constructive negotiations.
- The proposal emphasizes that the decision on which member states will occupy the new permanent seats will be made through a democratic and inclusive election by the UN General Assembly.
