G4 demands urgent overhaul of UN Security Council

The foreign ministers of Brazil, Germany, India and Japan have called for urgent reform of the UN Security Council, arguing that its current structure no longer reflects contemporary geopolitical realities.

Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira, German Federal Foreign Minister Johann David Wadephul, Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi met in New York on September 22, on the sidelines of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly.

The G4 ministers reviewed discussions held within the Intergovernmental Negotiations (IGN) framework on Security Council reform during the 80th session of the General Assembly and assessed the broader prospects for reform.

They stressed that, amid an increasingly challenging geopolitical environment, reform of the Security Council is “more necessary than ever before.”

The ministers said the Security Council is currently unable to effectively fulfill its core responsibility of maintaining international peace and security.

“The representativeness, legitimacy, credibility and efficacy of the UNSC are in question,” they said, identifying its “anachronistic eight-decades old architecture” as a key underlying reason.

According to the G4, the current structure does not reflect contemporary geopolitical realities and is an impediment to addressing present and future challenges related to international peace and security.

Against this backdrop, the ministers called for Security Council reform to be implemented at the earliest opportunity to ensure that the body is “fit-for-purpose” and better reflects current geopolitical realities.

They emphasized that expanding the Security Council in both permanent and non-permanent categories should be central to the reform process, noting that this position is supported by a majority of UN member states.

The ministers also stressed the need for greater representation of underrepresented and unrepresented regions and groups, including Africa, the Asia-Pacific, and Latin America and the Caribbean. They highlighted historical injustices in the Council’s representation and the importance of increasing the participation of countries that make significant contributions to maintaining international peace and security.

The G4 welcomed the presentation of the African Group’s reform model during the 80th session of the General Assembly and reiterated their support for Africa’s case for enhanced representation on the Security Council, including in the permanent category.

The ministers criticized the lack of concrete progress within the IGN framework, despite 18 years of negotiations. They expressed “strong concern” over the limited progress made during the previous session and voiced “serious reservations” about the presentation of a so-called bridging proposal before the start of text-based negotiations.

They said the proposal did not reflect the views of a clear majority of member states supporting expansion in both membership categories. The G4 also recalled that, under the UN Charter and the IGN mandate, consensus is not the benchmark for decision-making on Security Council reform.

Looking ahead, the G4 said they would work with other reform-oriented groups to develop a consolidated model that reflects the position of the majority of member states and prioritize the launch of text-based negotiations.

The  FMs said this would be key to achieving “real and impactful UNSC reform,” restoring the representativeness, legitimacy, credibility and efficacy of a principal UN organ, and strengthening the multilateral system.

The G4 also said discussions on Security Council reform should not be limited to the IGN and expressed readiness to engage with the wider UN membership through other forums, including the General Assembly.

The four countries said they would continue coordinating closely during the 81st session of the General Assembly. Their officials were tasked with following up on the discussions, with progress to be reviewed at the next director-general-level meeting in New Delhi.

By Vafa Guliyeva