MUNIR AKRAM (FILE)
By Special Correspondent
NEW YORK: Pakistan has, once again, opposed any proposal for the creation of additional permanent seats for individual member countries in the UN Security Council.
Pakistan’s permanent representative to the UN Ambassador Munir Akram said the ongoing genocidal war in Gaza had proven that the Security Council’s frequent failures to effectively respond to threats to international peace and security are due to the inability of its permanent members to agree on a decisive action.
Delivering a statement in the General Assembly on the agenda item 122 entitled “Question of equitable representation on and increase in the membership of the Security Council and other matters related to the Security Council”, Akram emphasized that addition of new permanent members will only deepen the paralysis within the Security Council, arguing that the problem can’t be a solution.
Ambassador Akram added that permanent membership, a controversial issue since the inception of the United Nations, was imposed into the UN Charter by the victors of the Second World War, stating that there was neither any compulsion nor any justification left today to create new “centers of privilege” within the UN.
“Any country seeking a more frequent presence on the Security Council should do so by subjecting itself to the democratic process of periodic election by the General Assembly,” he said.
Noting that the convergences had broadened and divergences narrowed through inter-governmental process vis-à-vis the five inter-linked clusters of the issues of the SC reform, he said that that there is now an agreement on the expansion of two-year non-permanent seats, adding that there is no convergence on the creation of new permanent members.
Ambassador Akram said there are, similarly, different proposals on the prohibition of the veto; its restriction; its suspension; its expansion (to new permanent members) and its deferment.
He said that there was a consensus that ‘historic injustice’ was committed against Africa, Latin America, Asia, SIDs, Arab Group and the OIC in terms of regional representation, which favoured the European continent. He said that the regional approach represented the best prospect for agreement on Security Council reform.
The Pakistan UN envoy said the proposal for addition of 11-12 non-permanent members would not only ensure greater representation of small and medium states but also serve to balance inordinate influence of the five permanent members besides ensuring accountability and promoting democratization within the Council.
“On the other hand, the addition of 4 or 6 new “permanent members” would statistically reduce the prospects for representation for the rest of the 182 member States and expand the circle of the unaccountable in the Security Council,” he stressed.
He said that the Uniting for Consensus (UfC) group, of which Pakistan is a leading member, has reaffirmed its commitment to a reform of the U.N. Security Council that is inclusive and regionally representative.
He said that UfC supports Africa’s call for two permanent Council seats accountable to the continent, differing from individual countries’ bids, as it emphasizes regional accountability. He said that UfC also proposes longer-term seats for “middle powers” based on factors like size and contributions to peace, ensuring fair representation for over 20 states.
Ambassador Akram stressed the need for thorough discussions on the five key clusters underlying reform, advocating for meaningful dialogue over rushed decisions. He said that we oppose artificial deadlines or unilateral voting, warning these could divide member states and impede progress.
He added that it seeks an equitable Council model that respects all regional aspirations and enhances global cooperation.
Ambassador Munir Akram said that the UfC remains open to a frank and detailed discussion on ways and means of accommodating the aspirations of all regional and cross regional groups – within an equitable and comprehensive reform of the Security Council.
“Neither the Arab Group nor the OIC Member States will accept a reform in which they are not equitable represented. We are convinced that the UfC’s proposal can serve as a framework for such an inclusive and equitable reform of the Council,” he said while concluding the statement.
