G4 Ministers Demand UN Security Council Expansion
Germany, Brazil, India, and Japan call for adding members to the UN Security Council in a new joint statement.
Key points
- G4 ministers met in New York to push for Security Council reform.
- They argue the eight-decade-old structure is outdated and lacks legitimacy.
- The group wants to add permanent and non-permanent members for better representation.
Foreign ministers from Germany, Brazil, India, and Japan met in New York on Wednesday. They discussed changing the United Nations Security Council. This happened during the General Assembly.
The group issued a joint statement on the matter. They argued the current structure is outdated. It does not fit today's world, they said.
Critics call the current setup outdated
The ministers said the Council cannot do its core task. They believe it fails to keep peace effectively. The current mix of members is seen as anachronistic.
There are five permanent members with veto power. Ten non-permanent members also sit on the body. This structure has existed for eight decades, according to the group.
Proposal seeks more regional representation
The G4 wants to add more permanent and non-permanent seats. They say this reflects the views of most states. Africa and Latin America are currently underrepresented.
The Asia-Pacific region also lacks sufficient voice in the body. Countries that help maintain peace need a seat. The ministers stressed this point in their text.
UN notes long history of talks
The United Nations welcomed a recent African reform proposal. It came from Intergovernmental Negotiations. However, concrete results remain elusive after 18 years.
The ministers plan to keep working together. They aim to create a consolidated model. This will help start negotiations on a foundational text.
