NEW YORK, Sept 9: The decision-making structures of the United Nations do not reflect the world as it stands today, eroding the voice of the global organisation itself, Minister of State for External Affairs Meenakashi Lekhi said, emphasising that it is regrettable the reform process is being thwarted by a handful of countries which only pay lip service to reform.
Lekhi, who is here on an official visit, said reform of the Security Council is a key aspect of India’s engagement with the UN.
As Prime Minister Narendra Modi had told the General Assembly last year, “reform in the responses, in the processes, in the character of the United Nations is the need of the hour,” she said.
“The simple fact is that it has been 75 years since the UN was founded. But its decision making structures, especially the Security Council, still remain stuck in 1945 and do not reflect the world as it stands today. This has eroded the voice of the United Nations itself,” she told PTI in an exclusive interview.
Lekhi asserted that the Security Council has to reflect the realities of today to become more credible.
“Regrettably, the reform process is being thwarted by a handful of countries which only pay lip service to reform. By opposing Security Council reforms, they are actually doing a disservice to multilateralism,” she said, without naming any country.
Referring to the clarion call made by Modi for reformed multilateralism, Lekhi said “since there is overwhelming support among the Member States for reforms, we will be working with them to see how best to advance the reforms. I took this up with the Deputy Secretary-General as well in my meeting.”
India, currently in the Security Council as a non-permanent member for a two-year term that began in January this year, was President of the 15-nation Council last month. India has been at the forefront of the years-long efforts to reform the UN Security Council, saying it rightly deserves a place as a permanent member of the Council, which in its current form does not represent the geo-political realities of the 21st century.
Lekhi visited Colombia from September 4-6 and is in New York till September 9 on her first visit as Minister of State. She addressed the UN Security Council open debate on UN Peacekeeping Operations – Transitions, held under Ireland’s current Presidency of the 15-nation Council Wednesday.
At the UN, she met briefly with Secretary-General Antonio Guterres during the Council meeting as well as former President of Ireland Mary Robinson and former President of Liberia Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. She also had discussions with Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations Amina Mohammed and President-elect of the 76th session of the General Assembly Abdullah Shahid.
“We discussed issues which are of mutual interest to us including our priorities and contributions to the UN, including the 76th General Assembly session which begins in a few days. We also touched on topical issues such as climate change, development and UN reforms,” she said.
On her meeting with Shahid, Lekhi tweeted, “Met President-elect of the 76th UNGA @abdulla_shahid. We discussed his vision and #PresidencyOfHope for the session including COVID-19 vaccines, gender, youth, human rights and environment.”
Shahid tweeted that he discussed his priorities for the upcoming session of the General Assembly with Lekhi. “India is a champion of multilateralism. And I am confident of India’s support to the #PresidencyOfHope,” he said in the tweet. (PTI)
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