Reforming the United Nations Security Council
UN Security Council reform remains a key concern for the German Government. A reform of the global political architecture that fails to adapt the Council to the geopolitical realities of the 21st century would be incomplete. As long as important regions and major contributors to the UN system are not adequately represented, the Security Council runs the risk of losing legitimacy and authority.
The global economic and financial crisis has pushed the reform of international institutions into a more prominent position on the global agenda (G20 and G8 reform debate). The UN Security Council, as the heart of the international peace order, is no exception.
Accordingly, the debate on reforming the Security Council has gained political momentum. At the UN General Assembly’s most recent general debate, the majority of the Heads of State and Government emphasized that the Security Council had to be reformed. Indeed, large southern countries such as India and Brazil, as well as those countries who contribute most to achieving the United Nations’ targets, like Japan and Germany, are not appropriately represented. The same is true of Africa, the continent where the majority of the missions mandated by the Security Council are carried out. The Security Council therefore has a legitimacy problem.
The political impetus corresponds to a new momentum in the negotiations in New York. In February 2009, intergovernmental negotiations within the so-called “informal plenary” of the General Assembly were launched there. This has resulted in an important procedural breakthrough because in the General Assembly decisions on important issues require a two-thirds majority. This is considerable progress compared to the situation before February when the Open-ended Working Group of the General Assembly was responsible for the discussion on reforming the Security Council – the OEWG operated according to the principle of consensus.
As expected, the three rounds of negotiations held so far within the informal plenary have not yet led to a breakthrough on content. However, it has become clear that the overwhelming majority of the states endorse expanding the Security Council to include new permanent and non-permanent seats.
Last updated 29.09.2009