UK urges for UN reforms, backs India's bid for a permanent seat in the UNSC

UK government has reiterated its call for reform of United Nations as one of its top transnational priorities and supported India's bid for permanent membership of powerful Security Council.

India has been at forefront of years-long efforts to reform UN Security Council (UNSC), saying it rightly deserved a place as a permanent member of United Nations.

Currently, UNSC has five permanent members - China, France, Russia, UK and US. Only a permanent member has power to veto any substantive resolution.

In a speech at a conference at Chatham House think tank in London on Thursday, UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly called for a reinvigorated multilateral system that is more reflective of times.

He pointed out that world’s ecomic centre of gravity is shifting away from Euro-Atlantic and towards Indo-Pacific but multilateral institutions are yet to catch up.

“I have five transnational priorities. First, reform of United Nations Security Council. We want to see permanent African representation and membership extended to India, Brazil, Germany and Japan,” said Cleverly.

“I kw this is a bold reform. But it will usher Security Council into 2020s. And UNSC has grown before – albeit t since 1965. My second priority is reform of international financial institutions. This matters for climate finance and, of course, for poverty reduction,” he said.

minister also hailed India’s leadership role with its presidency of G20 in pitching for representation of poorer nations on world st.

“It seems obvious to me that voice of poorest and most vulnerable countries must be heard at heart of multilateral system. That’s why we support permanent membership of G20 for African Union and welcome India’s leadership on taking this forward,” he said.

Among or priorities for UK, Cleverly highlighted making finance easier and quicker to access and maximise impact of that investment.

He also stressed that World Trade Organisation (WTO) desperately needs new rules that reflect today’s digital ecomy to make trade policy “free, fair, open and t manipulated or distorted”.

He spelt out ar top priority as artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing have potential to transform humankind’s problem-solving capabilities.

“I will chair UN Security Council’s first-ever meeting on this issue, in New York next month. And Prime Minister [Rishi Sunak] will host an AI summit this autumn,” said Cleverly.