South African President calls for UNSC reforms at BRICS Summit
New Delhi: South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Saturday called for comprehensive reforms of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) at the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi.
“Africa accounts for 54 member states of the United Nations and nearly one-fifth of humanity, yet Africa remains without permanent representation on the Security Council of the United Nations. This is neither just nor sustainable. South Africa reiterates its call for comprehensive Security Council reform that makes the council more representative, more accountable, more transparent, and effective,” Ramaphosa stated during his remarks at the BRICS Summit.
He noted that the relevance of the United Nations and the durability of the multilateral system are now threatened by overt violations of the United Nations Charter and the resort to war to settle differences between Member States.
“This is what makes BRICS so much more important in the geopolitical terrain that the world finds itself in. The greatness of BRICS lies not in the fact that we are the same, but precisely in the fact that we are different. We represent different continents, different civilisations, political traditions and stages of development. Yet we have discovered that our diversity need not divide us; our diversity should actually unite us. We can cooperate without surrendering our sovereignty, trade without demanding political conformity, and pursue our national interests while advancing the interests of humanity,” stated the South African President.
He said that BRICS represents a world in which no nation needs to choose between East and West, North and South. It represents a world with many centres of power, but a common commitment to development, to dignity, to respect for one another, and a more equitable international order.
The BRICS members’ session on Saturday was held on the theme of ‘Inclusive Global Governance and Strengthening Multilateralism’.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), at the session, BRICS leaders spoke from their perspective, national perspective, but there was a broad convergence on the need to strengthen and to make “our global governance institutions” more representative, inclusive, effective and responsive to today’s realities.
“The leaders reiterated support for comprehensive reform of the United Nations, including its Security Council, with greater representation of developing countries and for reform of the international financial architecture to give developing countries and the Global South a stronger voice,” Sudhakar Dalela, Secretary of Economic Relations at the MEA, said during a media briefing held on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi.
He noted that the discussion reaffirmed the foundations of BRICS cooperation anchored in mutual respect, equality, solidarity, openness, inclusiveness, and consensus, with differences addressed through dialogue and consultations.