True Security Council Reform Crucial to Regaining Public Trust, Improving United Nations Global Image, Speakers Tell General Assembly

The United Nations has a slim window of opportunity to earn back public trust and burnish its global image — which is too often tarnished by the paralysis of its 15-member Security Council — the General Assembly heard today, as delegates warned that the Organization is widely judged by that most-headlined organ’s failure to end wars, prevent atrocity crimes and keep up with today’s emerging challenges.

"[This] is a moment of reflection, action and leadership to make this Organization, our United Nations, fit for the twenty-first century," said AnnalenaBaerbock (Germany), President of the eightieth session of the General Assembly. Today’s debate comes at a time when the UN is undertaking a process of renewal, namely through the proposed "UN80" reform initiative, aimed at making the Organization more efficient, effective and responsive. A year after calls to reform the Security Council were enshrined in the landmark Pact for the Future, the Assembly’s 2025 high-level week saw widespread calls for urgent efforts to make that organ more inclusive, transparent, efficient, democratic and accountable.

Noting that she recently appointed two Co-Chairs of the Intergovernmental Negotiations process on reform — the permanent representatives of the Netherlands and Kuwait — to advance progress as a priority issue, she urged Member States to submit new reform proposals or to refine existing models, with a view to a "conciliated model that builds upon convergences". Broad agreement already exists on the need for reform and on the principles that should guide it, she said. While change cannot happen in a matter of days, "we must show that progress is possible".

Better Representation Is Moral and Political Imperative

Throughout the ensuing debate, some 60 delegations took the floor to elucidate their views on whether, how and how quickly the Security Council should be changed. Speakers widely agreed on the need for reform, noting that the organ’s structure has remained the same since the Second World War — even in the face of rapidly evolving threats to peace and security. While they voiced a wide array of opinions on the details of that process, many warned that, without an update, the Council risks stumbling even lower in public esteem.

"The eightieth anniversary year of the UN provides a historic window of opportunity for true reform of the Security Council," said the representative of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, speaking for the "L.69 Group" — a "diverse, pro-reform group of developing countries" driven by the principles of justice, sovereignty and equity. She described the need for enhanced representation of under- or unrepresented regions as both a "moral and political imperative", warning: "We cannot afford further delay [...] at this crucial juncture, as it will have serious consequences on a system that has already been in a free-fall of trust."

"Within and outside the United Nations, the widespread assessment is that the Organization has not delivered as it should have, it is ineffective and it faces major challenges," said Brazil’s representative, also speaking on behalf of Germany, India and Japan — known as the "Group of 4". Many of those negative perceptions stem from the Security Council’s repeated failures. "Reforming this principal body [...] will go a long way in making the UN fit for purpose and in changing the public perception of its utility and effectiveness."

‘Geopolitical Manoeuvrings’ Stymie Council’s Ability to Address Major Peace and Security Threats, Especially in Middle East

A range of delegates throughout the debate struck similar tones, warning that, while today’s complex threats to peace and security are not beyond the Council’s mandate, powerful countries remain too easily able to limit its capacity to intervene. Guyana’s representative, on behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), said "geopolitical manoeuvrings" often paralyse the Council’s action "at the peril of lives and livelihoods".

"After eight decades, our Organization is going through profound changes, and the need for introspection is greater than ever," said Namibia’s delegate. Emphasizing that a lack of political will "has kept us where we are for decades", he called on world leaders to demonstrate both the courage and foresight needed to make the UN more relevant and representative of all. The representative of Romania, echoing some of those points, described a reformed Council as "proof of credibility" for all nations and a "vote of confidence in the UN Charter".

"Recent regional and global developments have made it clear — the architecture established 80 years ago is no longer fit for today’s challenges," agreed the representative of Algeria. The Council’s structural shortcomings have often limited its ability to address major peace and security issues, particularly those in the Middle East. Besides improving the Council’s credibility, legitimacy and efficacy, he stressed: "Broader geographic diversity would enable better understanding of the root causes of conflicts and their solutions."

Bahrain’s delegate, speaking for the Arab Group, agreed, pointing out that Middle East was involved in most of the cases in which the veto has been cast in recent years. The Arab Group deserves permanent representation in an expanded Council due to its "political and cultural specificities", he stressed, declaring: "Our countries must take part in meetings that concern us."

Calls to Limit the Veto Power

Meanwhile, the representative of Italy, speaking on behalf of the "Uniting for Consensus" group and echoed by the representative of Türkiye, called for "a reform for all, not for a few". He highlighted growing convergences across the intergovernmental negotiations, such as broad agreement taking shape around a rotating seat for small island developing States. He joined many other delegates throughout the debate in rejecting any expansion of the veto power, and "at minimum", its limitation in cases of mass atrocities and war crimes.

The representative of France agreed with other speakers that the Council’s ability to act matters at a time when faith in institutions has been shaken. "A reformed Council is one in which the veto is used responsibly," he stressed, agreeing with calls to limit that power in cases of mass atrocities and spotlighting an initiative developed by his delegation, alongside Mexico, to that end. Liechtenstein’s delegate, meanwhile, listed several instances — in the Middle East, Ukraine and Sudan — where the Council continues to fall short, due largely to the use of the veto, and welcomed related initiatives aimed at to recalibrating the balance between the Council and the General Assembly.

Global South ‘Bridge-Builders’ Need Greater Voice

Citing another critical example — the climate crisis — where "a single veto can halt action" while front-line States "stand outside the door", was Maldives’ representative. Small island developing States, representing one fifth of the UN’s membership and custodians of the world’s oceans, remain without a dedicated voice on the Security Council. Such stark inequity reveals that "promises of sovereign equality stop at the Council’s threshold", he stressed, advocating for a dedicated, rotating seat for small island developing States and joining other speakers in stressing: "The veto must go."

Striking a different tone were both the representatives of Cuba and the Russian Federation. The latter, who welcomed the onset of a more multipolar world where the Global South’s voices "are growing ever louder", welcomed efforts to make the Council more representative of developing countries in Asia, Latin America and especially Africa. However, he said the organ must remain compact and nimble, and its current permanent members must not lose any of their current prerogatives. That includes the veto power, without which "the UN would have met the same regrettable fate as the League of Nations", he said.

Several speakers praised the Council’s elected membership category, describing its exclusive expansion as the most constructive way forward. Costa Rica’s delegate drew attention to the "transformative power" of elected members, who bring diverse perspectives to complex matters, due to their elected status, remain both accountable to the wider UN membership and sensitive to global concerns. "Give the bridge-builders" — the Council’s elected members — "more bridges to build", she stressed.

Permanent Seats for Africa Key to Correcting Historical Injustice

A range of speakers throughout the debate, including the representatives of the United Kingdom and Sierra Leone — who spoke on behalf of the African Group — insisted that Africa’s underrepresentation on the Council is a critical historical injustice that must be addressed as both a priority and a "special case". Demanding no fewer than two permanent Council seats — with the veto power, if it is to be maintained — and five additional non-permanent seats for Africa, the latter declared: "This is not merely a question of proportional representation; it is about correcting a structural and historical injustice."

Venezuela’s representative, speaking on behalf of the Group of Friends in Defense of the UN Charter, pointed out that about 70 per cent of the matters taken up by the Security Council affect Africa. Calling for a reform that enables the continent to play a stronger, more equitable and more meaningful role, he nevertheless warned: "Reform should not lead to an increase in the representation of a regional group which is already overrepresented."

The representative of China, underlining the need to "maintain the right direction of reform", said the process should be compatible with the multipolarization of the world and the collective rights of the Global South. "It is especially important to right the historical injustices suffered by Africa, and make priority and special arrangements for Africa’s demands," he stressed.

High Time’ to Move to Text-Based Intergovernmental Negotiations

While delegates broadly supported the Intergovernmental Negotiation process, several voiced frustrations over discussions that have been ongoing with no concrete agreement for decades. The representative of Iceland, who also spoke on behalf of Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden, stressed that it is "high time" to move from discussions to text-based negotiations, while Indonesia’s delegate agreed that the negotiation process "cannot continue its merry-go-round discussions". India’s delegate struck a more pointed tone: "Any objective analysis of the discussions up to now would make it clear that the current format has delivered nothing, adopted nothing and reconciled nothing."

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