Questions raised over UN Security Council's effectiveness; G-4 seeks immediate reform.

Bangla Press Desk: The G4—a coalition comprising India, Brazil, Germany, and Japan—has called for urgent reform of the UN Security Council. The foreign ministers of these nations stated that the current Security Council is failing to adequately fulfill its mandate of maintaining international peace and security.
On Tuesday, the G4 foreign ministers met on the sidelines of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in New York. The meeting was attended by India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Brazil's Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira, Germany's Foreign Minister Johann David Wadephul, and Japan's Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu.
During the meeting, they emphasized the need to make the Security Council more effective and representative. They also called for aligning the Council's structure with the political realities of the contemporary world.
In a joint statement, the G4 noted that Security Council reform is more urgent than ever due to rising geopolitical tensions and conflicts globally.
The statement highlighted that the Security Council's current structure dates back nearly 80 years, rendering it unable to adequately reflect today's political realities and changing circumstances.
According to the G4, this outdated structure hinders efforts to address current and future challenges to international peace and security.
Consequently, questions are being raised regarding the Security Council's representation, legitimacy, credibility, and effectiveness. The four nations, therefore, underscored the need for rapid and effective reform.
Against this backdrop, the G4 nations called for urgent reform of the UN Security Council, asserting that it must be made more effective and representative to align with current global realities.
The G4 advocates for increasing the number of both permanent and non-permanent members as part of the reform process.
Simultaneously, they called for enhanced representation for regions and groups that are currently underrepresented or unrepresented, specifically citing Africa, the Asia-Pacific region, and Latin America and the Caribbean.
The G4 also emphasized the importance of increasing the participation of nations that play a significant role in maintaining international peace and security in the Council's activities. Furthermore, the group welcomed the proposal for Security Council reform put forward by African nations during the Intergovernmental Negotiations (IGN) at the 80th session of the UN General Assembly. At the same time, they expressed support for the demand to increase Africa's representation, including through permanent membership in the Security Council.
However, the G4 expressed concern over the lack of progress in the Intergovernmental Negotiations (IGN) regarding Security Council reform. They noted that despite discussions spanning 18 years, no desired tangible results have been achieved. The G4 also objected to the proposal to present a "compromise text" prior to the commencement of text-based negotiations.
They argued that the proposal failed to reflect the views of the majority of countries that advocate for expanding both permanent and non-permanent membership categories of the Security Council.
The G4 further stated that, according to the UN Charter and IGN rules, a consensus among all nations is not mandatory for making decisions on Security Council reform. Looking ahead, the G4 intends to collaborate with other reform-minded nations and blocs to identify areas of common ground. They also announced plans to draft a joint reform proposal that prioritizes the views of the majority of member states.
The G4 emphasized that initiating text-based negotiations on Security Council reform is one of their top priorities. They believe this step could pave the way for substantive and effective reform of the Council.
The G4 nations asserted that reform is essential to make the UN Security Council more representative, credible, and effective. They believe such reform would also strengthen the UN's multilateral system. Following the meeting, Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar stated that India, Brazil, Germany, and Japan would work together to align the Security Council with contemporary global realities.
In a post on the social media platform X, Jaishankar mentioned that the G4 meeting in New York focused on reforming the multilateral system and the need for a more representative and effective Security Council.
German Foreign Minister Johann David Wadephul also emphasized the need for the Security Council to reflect the changing global landscape. He called for increased representation for African nations.
Wadephul noted that the world has undergone profound changes since the UN's inception, and therefore, the organization's key decision-making body must reflect those shifts. He added that Germany is working alongside India, Brazil, and Japan to achieve a more inclusive Security Council.
He further stated that the views and representation of African countries within the Security Council should be more adequately reflected. Meanwhile, during the 81st session of the UN General Assembly, the four G4 nations decided to continue working in close coordination. Officials from their respective countries have been instructed to implement the decisions reached during the meeting. They also agreed to review the progress of reform initiatives at a future meeting of Director-Generals in New Delhi.
On the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session, Jaishankar held a separate meeting with German Foreign Minister Johann David Wadephul. Discussions during the meeting covered the Ukraine war, the crisis in the Gulf region, and multilateral cooperation.
Later, in a post on X, Jaishankar stated that they had exchanged views on the ongoing crises in Ukraine and the Gulf region, as well as on multilateral cooperation within the UN and other forums.

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