Kazakh president calls for reform of UNSC

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev believes that the United Nations (UN) currently remains the only credible universal global organisation but its Security Council (UNSC) needs to be reformed.

"We will not be able to cope with the current challenges without a comprehensive reform of the Security Council," Tokayev said at a plenary session of the Astana International Forum, Kommersant reports.  

He proposed to change the UN Security Council "so that the voices of the representatives of the 'middle powers' would have more weight and would be heard there".

In his opinion, at this moment there is practically an "undermining of the foundations of the world order, which has been built since the creation of the UN”.

Speaking about the geopolitical situation in the world, Tokayev noted that the return of "blocked thinking” can be witnessed. He believes that the economy is being used as a weapon by various actors in international politics.

"Economic policy itself is openly used as a weapon. This confrontation includes sanctions and trade wars, targeted debt policy, restriction of access or isolation from sources of financing, and control over investment," the Kazakh president explained.

Tokayev previously held various high positions in the UN structure. In 2011-2013, the current president of Kazakhstan was the UN Under-Secretary-General, Director-General of the UN Office in Geneva, as well as Personal Representative of the UN Secretary-General to the Conference on Disarmament.