G4 nations stress comprehensive security council reform as ‘essential part’ of UN’s future

The G4 Ministers representing Brazil, Germany, India, and Japan stressed that a comprehensive reform of the Security Council is an “essential part” of any endeavor to make the United Nations better reflect contemporary geopolitical realities and thus fit for the present and future.

Foreign Ministers from the “Group of Four” countries – Brazil’s Mauro Vieira, Germany’s Annalena Baerbock, India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, and Japan’s Yoko Kamikawa met on the margins of the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly on September 23.

They gathered to evaluate the current state of the multilateral system and discuss potential reforms to the United Nations Security Council.

In a joint press statement, Ministry of External Affairs said, “G4 Ministers noted the current significant challenges to the multilateral system with the United Nations at its core. They stressed that a comprehensive reform of the Security Council is an essential part of any endeavor to make the United Nations better reflect contemporary geopolitical realities and thus fit for the present and future. They welcomed the “Summit of the Future” on 22 and 23 September 2024, where world leaders strongly called for urgent reform of the Security Council.”

In this regard, the Ministers of Germany, India and Japan also welcomed Brazil’s initiative of launching a Call to Action on Global Governance Reform in the context of the Brazilian Presidency of the G20. They stressed the importance of transforming global governance and emphasized that discussions on reform of the UN Security Council remain a top priority following the “Summit of the Future.”

“The G4 Ministers reiterated their call for the expansion of the UN Security Council in both permanent and non-permanent categories of membership, which has been supported by a significant number of Member States throughout the negotiation process, in order to increase the Council’s legitimacy and ensure its effectiveness,” the statment added.

They agreed on the need to enhance the role and participation of developing countries, and those significantly contributing to international peace and security, in the Security Council, in both membership categories.

They also stressed the importance of an improved representation of under-represented and unrepresented groups and regions, such as Africa, Asia-Pacific and Latin America and the Caribbean, in both membership categories. Ministers reaffirmed their strong support to the Common African Position (CAP) as enshrined in the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration.

Reviewing the work of the 78th Session of the UN General Assembly, the G4 Ministers positively noted the efforts by the Co-Chairs of the Intergovernmental Negotiations (IGN) including multiple rounds of debates on reform models proposed by States and Groups as a concrete step closer towards reform.

According to MEA, “the G4 Ministers voiced strong concern over the persistent absence of substantial progress in the IGN and underlined the urgent need to begin text-based negotiations.”

In this context, the G4 Ministers welcomed the recent increase of support of text-based negotiations.They noted the importance of the IGN’s adherence to the decision-making requirements and working methods laid out in the Charter of the United Nations and the rules and procedures of the General Assembly.

They looked forward to engaging in further model discussions, including collective effort to develop a consolidated model.

Looking forward to the upcoming 80th anniversary of the United Nations in 2025, the G4 Ministers underscored the urgency of the reform of the Security Council, as well as their strong dedication to this goal.

They urged the international community to engage wholeheartedly in these efforts during the 79th UN General Assembly, and agreed to further reach out to, and work in good faith with, the wider UN-membership to advance the issue. They concurred on continuing to discuss current UN-related issues, including those in the Security Council. The G4 Ministers reiterated their support for each other’s candidatures as aspiring new permanent members in a reformed Security Council.