United Nations, In a scathing commentary, UN chief Antonio Guterres has said that global powers that themselves violate international law sit in the Security Council, as he asserted that reform of the 15-nation global body “must be an absolute priority”.
“That is why the reform of the Security Council must be an absolute priority. “And let’s be clear. The question is a question of power. “And one thing that is essential in this redistribution of power is the reform of multilateral institutions.
And if there are two multilateral institutions where this reform is essential, it’s the Security Council and the Bretton Woods system,” he said, referring to the 1944 agreement heralding a new international monetary system in which the external values of foreign currencies were fixed in relation to the US dollar. Guterres said paralysis of the UN Security Council has created a situation in which “because the example coming from the biggest powers is not a good example, every country around the world feels that they are entitled to do whatever they want.
“And that is a factor of paralysis,” the UN chief said while addressing a press conference at the world headquarters ahead of the opening of the high-level week of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly. And the question is that the way power is distributed and power is used in our world does not allow multilateral institutions to act effectively,” he said. It is unacceptable to have a Security Council with a composition that reflects the world of many decades ago instead of reflecting today’s world.
The week-long General Debate, which will bring Heads of State and Government, Foreign Ministers, leaders and envoys from around the world to the UN Headquarters, commences on September 22, when US President Donald Trump will address world leaders from the iconic green podium in the UNGA Hall.
When asked what the one lesson he would take away from his last 10 years as the world’s top diplomat is, Guterres said “The lesson that I would take away is that when we have a world that is becoming more and more multipolar, it is essential to reform the multilateral institutions to be able to make those institutions effective in relation to the promotion of peace, development, and human rights that are the three pillars of the UN.”
