Bharat’s External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar, recently criticized the United Nations Security Council, comparing it to an “old club” unwilling to admit new members for fear of losing control. Jaishankar expressed that the established members resist questioning their practices and resist reforms. He believes this reluctance hampers the UN’s effectiveness in addressing global challenges.
Jaishankar highlighted the lack of reforms as a significant failure, emphasizing that the UN is becoming less effective over time. He sees the resistance to change as a human failing and believes it harms the world by impeding the organization’s ability to address critical global issues.
In September, Jaishankar had mentioned the risk of the UN becoming “anachronistic” if it continues to resist structural reforms. He used the metaphor of passengers in a bus, where the permanent members of the UN Security Council are compared to individuals unwilling to give up their seats, even for those in need. This metaphor illustrates the entrenched nature of the existing members.
The External Affairs Minister pointed out that a large number of countries worldwide support reform efforts in the UN Security Council. He stated that global sentiment favors changes to adapt the organization to current realities. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also echoed these sentiments on the international stage, emphasizing the need for global systems, including the UN Security Council, to reflect the present realities and accommodate the growing number of member countries.
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