NEED FOR UN REFORMS – INTERNATIONAL
News: If
not reformed, U.N. will be overtaken by other organizations: Indian envoy
Kamboj
What's in the news?
● Other organizations like
the G-20 may step up to take a more prominent role in international affairs
than the United Nations if the global body fails to introduce reforms in the UN
Security Council, Ruchira Kamboj, the
Permanent Representative of India at the United Nations, said.
● Speaking
on the issues - reformed multilateralism
and counterterrorism during the December Presidency of India at the UNSC -
Ms. Kamboj said that the reformation of
the United Nations is the “most complex process” of the UN system.
Key takeaways:
● It
involves several aspects as follows.
○ It
involves the reform of the UN Charter.
○ It
requires all the P-5 (permanent members of the UNSC) to be on board.
○ It
requires that no P-5 should veto the matter and all of that and much more.
● Ms.
Kamboj said that there is a lot of
“pessimism and cynicism” about the possibility of reform of the UN Security
Council as the item of reform has remained on the agenda of the UNSC for nearly
three decades without any substantive progress.
● Prof
Harsh V. Pant who moderated the session raised the possibility of “minilaterals” playing a more active role in global
affairs to which Ms. Kamboj said that it is a possibility if the reform of the
UNSC refuses to make any progress.
● India’s
2021-2022 stint at the UNSC will draw to a close by the end of this month when
India is also serving as the President of the UNSC.
● Ms.
Kamboj said that the reform requires not just the P-5 but also smaller
groupings within the UN structure to be engaged in the broader discussion on
the reform.
What is meant by reformed multilateralism?
● It
calls for reforms in the UNSC. It
should be a more inclusive organization
that shows contemporary global realities.
● It
calls for reforming institutions of global governance.
● India’s
call for this structural overhaul of global multilateral institutions
incorporates institutional accountability and a wider representation of the
developing countries.
Recent failures of UN-led Multilateralism:
1. COVID-19 Pandemic:
● The
COVID-19 pandemic was a weak moment for UN’s multilateralism.
● It
highlighted the UN’s institutional limitations when countries closed their borders, supply chains were interrupted and
almost every country was in need of vaccines.
Resilience
- Countries of the Global South, including India, which stepped up through relief efforts, drug distribution and
vaccine manufacturing, have created space for a more inclusive UN,
particularly through its Security Council (UNSC) reform.
2. Russia-Ukraine war:
● U.N.-led
multilateralism has been unable to provide strong mechanisms to prevent wars.
The shadow of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine
war has loomed large over several deadlocks in U.N.S.C. resolutions since
the war broke out in February this year. With the West boycotting Russia, the
veto provision of the U.N.S.C. is expected to reach an even more redundant
level than in the past.
Resilience
- As such, a reformed multilateralism with greater representation could
generate deeper regional stakes to prevent wars.
3. Aggressive China:
● China’s rise,
belligerence, and aggression which has been on display through its actions in
the South China Sea, the Indo-Pacific region, and now increasingly globally,
have also underscored the limitations of the U.N.-style multilateralism.
● China’s
growing dominance could lead it to carve its own multilateral matrix
circumventing the West, economically and strategically. The international
isolation of Russia and Iran as well as increasing the United States - Taiwan-related
steps could usher in these changes more rapidly than expected.
● China’s
control of multilateral organizations, including the U.N., is only increasing -
most recently seen in the unofficial pressure China exerted on the former
U.N.’s human rights chief, Michelle Bachelet, to stop the release of a report
by the U.N. Human Rights Council on the condition of Uyghurs in China.
● Moreover,
China’s unabashed use of veto power
against India continues at the U.N.. In the most recent case, it blocked a
joint India-U.S. proposal at the U.N. to enlist Sajid Mir, a top
Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative involved in directing the 2008 Mumbai attacks,
as a ‘global terrorist’.
Need for Reformed Multilateralism:
1. Equitable world order:
There is a need for a more equitable world order to uphold the principles of
democracy at the global level.
2. Inclusivity:
Developing countries like the African countries, need to be made stakeholders
in the multilateral institutions and involved in the decision-making process.
3. Mitigation of new threats: In
the era of corona pandemic, rising protectionism, increased incidents of
terrorism and the threat of climate change, multilateral system must become
more resilient and responsive.
4. Desperate times call for desperate measures:
There is already a precedent of expansion of G-20 in the face of the 2008
Global Financial Crisis.
5. Dysfunctional system of economic governance:
Anachronistic
structure in multilateral financial institutions like World Bank and IMF making
it functioning to the voices of western nations.
6. Undue importance to Western world:
● Multilateral
institutions are mostly designed to privilege rich countries like WEF.
● Global
institutions need a greater diversity of perspective and a better-balanced
approach if they are to retain relevance this century.
Hurdles in bringing out reforms:
1. Lack of Consensus:
● Although
there is a general agreement towards change in the system, different countries
have different perceptions of the requirement for change.
● For
e.g. G-4 nations demand a seat each as a permanent member, UFC asks for
expansion of non-permanent seats, African union wants its representation at any
cost etc.
2. Narrow political considerations:
● Countries
view change in their own self-interest, rather than taking a wide world view.
● For
e.g. many countries would like an expansion in the non-permanent space, so that
they have an increased chance of getting elected to the membership of the UN.
3. Veto power of P5:
● Support
of all five permanent, veto-wielding members is required for expansion of UNSC.
● India
must be cautious that it keeps on enjoying support from all P5 members,
especially China, which so-far has been ambiguous towards India’s candidature
as a permanent member of UNSC.
4. African position:
● India
has been generally supportive of the African position where it has demanded one
seat for its nominee.
● The
problem is that Africa wants to reserve the right to nominate the country by
itself, rather than leaving it to the UN General Assembly. This is not
acceptable to many members.
WAY FORWARD:
1. India’s stint at United Nations Security Council
(UNSC):
● India
has been the most elected member of UNSC outside the P5.
2. Diplomatic outreach:
● India
needs to build upon its strengths through a diplomatic outreach to the major
nations with whom it has friendly relations.
● For
e.g. India is the only nation whose candidature to the United Nations Security
Council (UNSC) is not opposed by any veto-wielding nation.
● Even
China, with whom India has been engaged in a border standoff, has never
publicly opposed India’s stance (although, in all fairness, China has also not
supported India’s demand for a permanent seat at UNSC).
3. India’s soft power:
● India
has continuously supported Least
Developing Countries (LDCs) of Africa and Small Island nations in their
developmental efforts.
● This
has led to development of India’s image as a benevolent and friendly country.
● We
need to leverage this positive perception by reaching out and making such
countries support India’s demand for a reformed United Nations Security Council
(UNSC).
4. Contributions to United Nations:
● India
needs to keep an eye on China, which has now become the biggest contributor of funds to the United Nations.
● Also,
China has now started sending troops to United Nations peace-keeping missions,
with the agenda of rebuilding its global reputation.
5. Long drawn strategy:
● United
Nations Security Council reform is a long-term project and would require
continuous, non-tiring efforts from Indian diplomats.
6. Diversification:
● Apart
from the United Nations Security Council, India needs to diversify its energy
towards other agencies like the International Monetary Fund, World Trade
Organisation, World Health Organisation, to create a perception where it is
considered as a natural leader.
● For
e.g. - Indian Prime Minister recently spoke at the Economic Council (ECOSOC) to
attach a sense of importance to the institution.
With
starker divisions between countries as result of the Russia-Ukraine war and lingering pandemic-induced restrictions, the
need for the UN’s reform is being felt more palpably than ever before. India’s
emphasis on reinvigorated (give new energy) multilateralism coincides with a
critical juncture in the UN-led multilateralism and UN could integrate
burden-sharing within its institutional ambit.