Security Council reform under debate

The 70th General Assembly of the United Nations has included the reform of the Security Council in its agenda.

Since 1945, it has hardly advanced on this subject. But this time, the pressure is high and the debate is getting better to achieve a change. The German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, has especially given her opinion in favour of a change this time.

"We need new methods to solve problems.This necessitates a reform of the Security Council, a reform that can better reflect the reality of power in the world which is not currently the situation in the Council,” said Mrs Merkel this week.

The reform of the Security Council is particularly secured by the G4 (India, Germany, Japan and Brazil). These countries argued out their economic weight and the need to adapt to the change experienced by the world since the end of the Second World War.

Specifically, the G4 proposes a Council of 25 members, including six additional permanent seats without veto power. In its current form, the Security Council has 15 members, of whom five are permanent, Great Britain, USA, France, China and Russia with the right to veto. Ten other non-permanent members were elected for two years by the General Assembly.

In addition to the G4, South Africa is among the countries campaigning for reform. The country did not hide its ambition to get a permanent seat at the Security Council. Nigeria, first economic power in Africa is also eyeing a seat. In General, the African Union contends the demographic power of the continent to seek two permanent seats.

But reform is far from the source. Nonetheless, some countries are being hostile. They argued instead for an expansion of non-permanent members. He recalled that the permanent members are the only ones to have a right of veto.

But this "privilege" by virtue of their divisions on certain subjects, including major international crises, is a handicap for the effective functioning of the Security Council.