UNSC reform: Bozkir, “we need a more representative, accountable Council”

NEW YORK, MAY 7 – The President of the General Assembly, Volkan Bozkir, addressing today the UN Security Council, touched briefly the issue of the Council’s reform. “Reform of the Security Council is a core interest of UN Member States. It is a core interest of the UN itself, as well as it goes to the heart of its legitimacy. We need a more representative, accountable, transparent Council”, he said, noting that he was conveying this message as the President of the Assembly, “the most democratic organ of the UN system”.

Bozkir spoke during the Security Council’s High-Level Thematic Debate to mark the International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace. In this rare address by a President of the General Assembly to the Security Council, he stressed that strong and effective multilateralism, based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, international law and justice, are the foundations for security, stability, peace and prosperity.

Noting that, last September, world leaders affirmed that “multilateralism is not an option, but a necessity,” he said there is no alternative to our current system – and it is incumbent on us to refine and update it. He added: “Right or wrong, for millions of people around the world, the Security Council is the face and embodiment of the United Nations. Its success or failure to achieve its mandate is seen as the success or failure of the UN. On many occasions, the Council has been divided and unable to rise to the challenge. For most of those cases, the reason for failure is the differences between its members, in particular the permanent members.” (@OnuItalia)