The G4 countries, comprising India, Brazil, Germany, and Japan, have called for an early reform of the United Nations Security Council. They cited the Council's inability to effectively discharge its core responsibility of maintaining international peace and security. The G4 Ministers met in New York on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly. They noted that the increasingly challenging geopolitical environment had made Security Council reform "more necessary than ever before".
The G4 attributed the Council's shortcomings to its "anachronistic eight-decades-old architecture", which does not reflect contemporary geopolitical realities. This, they said, is an impediment to addressing present and future challenges concerning international peace and security. The four countries called for UNSC reform to be implemented at the earliest, stressing that the Council needs to be "fit-for-purpose" and reflective of present-day global realities.
The G4 said expansion of the Security Council in both the permanent and non-permanent categories should be central to the reform process. They also stressed the need for greater representation of under-represented and unrepresented regions and groups, including Africa, the Asia-Pacific, and Latin America and the Caribbean. The four countries further highlighted the importance of increasing the participation of member states that contribute significantly to maintaining international peace and security.
The G4 welcomed the presentation of the African Group's reform model during the Intergovernmental Negotiations in the 80th session of the UN General Assembly. They reiterated their support for Africa's case for enhanced representation, including in the permanent category of membership. The ministers expressed concern over the limited progress made through the IGN framework, noting that it had been active for 18 years without producing concrete outcomes.
The G4 ministers said they would continue coordinating closely during the 81st session of the UN General Assembly. They tasked officials from their respective countries with following up on the discussions. The ministers also agreed to take stock of progress at the next Director General-level meeting in New Delhi. India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar highlighted the G4's shared objective following the meeting.
Jaishankar, along with his counterparts from Brazil, Germany, and Japan, emphasized the need for a more representative, responsive, and effective UN Security Council. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul called for stronger representation for Africa, stating that the world has changed profoundly since the founding of the UN. He said this needs to be reflected in its highest decision-making body.
The G4 countries plan to work with other reform-oriented groups to identify areas of convergence and develop a consolidated model reflecting the views of the majority of member states. They said commencing text-based negotiations would be a high priority, describing this as key to achieving "real and impactful UNSC reform". This reform is necessary to restore the representativeness, legitimacy, credibility, and efficacy of the Security Council.
Key points
- The G4 countries call for an early reform of the United Nations Security Council.
- The G4 attributed the Council's shortcomings to its "anachronistic eight-decades-old architecture".
- The G4 countries plan to work with other reform-oriented groups to identify areas of convergence.
