Statement by Permanent Representative Vassily Nebenzia at a UNGA Meeting on Equitable Representation on and Increase in the Membership of the Security Council and other matters related to the UNSC
Mr. President,
We welcome the convening of another plenary meeting on the question of equitable representation on and increase in the UNSC membership Security Council and other matters related to the UNSC.
We note the energetic efforts of Kuwait’s Permanent Representative Tareq Al-Banai and Austria's former Permanent Representative Alexander Marschik when convening intergovernmental negotiations during the 79th session of the General Assembly. These negotiations demonstrated some progress in harmonizing national positions on this exceptionally delicate issue. We expect the co-facilitators of this session to continue guiding the process diligently and impartially.
The process of shaping a more democratic and multipolar world order continues to gain momentum. The voices of the Global South are growing ever-louder when discussing the international agenda. A shining confirmation of this is the recent adoption by the Fourth Committee of the General Assembly of a draft resolution establishing an International Day against Colonialism in all its forms and manifestations.
Eradicating the consequences of the colonial era is a key objective that is closely linked to the long-awaited redressing of historical injustice vis-à-vis formerly enslaved peoples. But today we are also witnessing manifestations of neocolonialism, economic coercion, and former colonial powers pumping out resources from certain countries. In addition to the long-overdue reform of international financial institutions, it is precisely the reform of the Security Council that is the missing piece of the puzzle that – once put together – will show us a new global multipolar world order premised on equitable international cooperation and the sovereign equality of states.
At the same time, the path to compromise on optimal modalities for a reformed Council is still strewn with myriad obstacles, which is because of the important role and responsibilities of this body as per the UN Charter. Clearly, if the reform fails, the price to pay will be extremely high. One rash move along this path could set the UN back to 80 years ago.
Russia has consistently advocated for making the Security Council more representative by including developing countries from Africa, Asia, and Latin America. It is imperative that we rectify the historical injustice vis-à-vis Africa, whose current representation at the Council in no way corresponds to either the total number of States on the continent or its contemporary role in international affairs.
It is obvious to us that the UNSC membership is skewed, which is wholly unfair and unjustifiable; and it is skewed towards Western states, which represent a disproportionately small part of the world's population, not to mention the fact that this category of countries espouses bloc-based approaches, essentially identical ones. Representatives of this very group are saying this out loud themselves. It is hard to imagine a bigger failure of the reform process than seeing that the quantitative supremacy of the former colonial powers persists even after transformations.
Furthermore, it is essential to preserve the Council's ability to swiftly and effectively respond to emerging challenges and threats to international peace and security. The world will very quickly have to pay a high price if the Security Council fails to keep up with events that require immediate action. Enlarging the body to 25-30 members would double the time needed to discuss current and urgent issues, develop solutions, and seek compromises. Not to mention that such a radical increase in the number of “seats” would diminish the role of each specific member in the decision-making process. Do we really want this?
Therefore, we are in favor of maintaining a compact Security Council. The optimal number of members should not exceed the low twenties.
Mr. President,
Russia does not support initiatives that would undermine the prerogatives of the current permanent members of the Security Council, including the veto power. We must not forget that this mechanism was established by the founding fathers of the United Nations to ensure that the Council takes balanced decisions. Without the veto right, the UN would have the same unenviable fate of the League of Nations.
Over the past decade, the number of instances when a veto was cast in the Council has indeed grown up. However, this year the veto right was used only twice, each time it was done by the US to cover up the atrocities being committed by Israel in Gaza. That means that the crux of the problems facing the Organization lies not in the veto, but in the lack of political will and in the irresponsible behavior of some Council members, who either put forward proposals that are obviously unacceptable to others or irresponsibly cover for the interests of their geopolitical allies.
In the course of international intergovernmental negotiations, we see the desire of the overwhelming majority of Member States to find the optimal model for the Security Council reform. Yet, a universal decision that could satisfy everyone or nearly everyone is yet to be found. We hope that at this session we will continue to work patiently and incrementally on converging national approaches. For our part, we will actively engage in the upcoming negotiation process, and we call on all parties concerned to do the same.
Thank you.
