US pushes UN Security Council reform: more permanent members, but no veto – WP

The United States has begun to design a proposal to reform the UN Security Council, the most influential body in the international law system, which would expand the number of members to represent the regions of the world better.

The upcoming final proposal would handle increasing frustration with the UN Security Council’s incapacity to address global armed conflicts, particularly Russia’s war against Ukraine.

This insight was shared in the article by The Washington Post.

The United States has yet to have a final vision of the UN Security Council reform. Still, it is expected to expand the number of its permanent representatives by about six. In contrast, they will not have veto power.

This position ensures that, if the reform is implemented, new countries will influence the permanent members of the UN Security Council while not undermining the veto power of the current members.

The US Ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, is currently trying to secure preliminary support for the reform. The move is part of Washington’s broader drive to modernise international organisations that are often accused of inefficiency.

“We want these institutions to work so that we can discuss and try to resolve international conflicts. We have to be clear about the successes and failures we’ve had over the years. Still, there’s no doubt that we’re better off with these institutions than without them,” the American official said on condition of anonymity.

It has yet to be discovered which countries may become permanent members of the UN Security Council, and the United States has previously supported the inclusion of Germany, Japan and India in the body.

At the same time, such a step would require an amendment to the UN Charter, which must be approved and ratified by two-thirds of the UN membership.

In September 2022, during a high-level session of the UN General Assembly, US President Joe Biden reaffirmed his support for expanding the number of permanent and non-permanent members of the Security Council.

This issue has become particularly acute given the full-scale invasion of Russia, which has veto power and can block any decisions that would hold it accountable for violating international law.

Russia’s war agression and continuous veto use in the Security Council to block decisions on condemnation of its actions sparked calls for stripping Russia of its permanent seat.

Read more: Why Russia’s veto right at UN Security Council is unlawful? Legal analysis