The Biden administration in the United States is working on a plan to reform the United Nations Security Council, aiming to increase the number of permanent council members to 11 in total, The Washington Post reports, citing senior U.S. officials and UN diplomats.
Under the White House plan, the new permanent members would not possess veto powers.
Per the report, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. representative to the UN, will engage in consultations with diplomats from all 193 UN member states ahead of the annual meeting of world leaders in New York in the autumn, seeking input and opinions on the proposed expansion of the Security Council.
The Washington Post states that the United States has previously advocated for Germany, India, and Japan to be included as permanent members of the Security Council. France and the United Kingdom have supported this idea and have suggested Brazil and at least one African country as additional permanent seats.
The plan to reform the UN Security Council reflects Biden's desire to acknowledge the growing influence of developing nations, address frustrations with the current council members, and enhance the organization's capacity to address global conflicts, including the war in Ukraine.
Biden has previously expressed support for expanding both the permanent and non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council, emphasizing the need for inclusivity that aligns with the demands of the modern world.
The UN Security Council, a permanent body within the UN, holds primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security. The current permanent members are Russia (formerly the USSR), the United States, China, the United Kingdom, and France, all of whom possess veto power.
Following Russia's large-scale invasion of Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called for Russia's expulsion from the Security Council, while European Council President Charles Michel proposed the creation of a mechanism to suspend Russia's membership. However, the White House emphasized that the UN's rules do not permit such actions, as the UN Charter does not provide for suspension or expulsion from the Security Council.
Comments (0)