‘We’ll Reform It’: Quad Agrees To UNSC Seat Expansion, Mentions Gaza And Ukraine Wars In Joint Statement

The leaders of the Quad grouping — comprising the United States, Australia, India, and Japan — issued a joint statement on Saturday addressing critical global issues, including the Ukraine conflict, the ongoing war in Gaza and long-awaited reforms to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

UNSC Reforms

After the leaders’ summit in US President Joe Biden’s hometown, the Quad leaders called for urgent reforms to the UNSC to make it more representative and accountable. The Quad leaders also called for expanded permanent membership to include representation from Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean.

“We will reform the UN Security Council, recognizing the urgent need to make it more representative, inclusive, transparent, efficient, effective, democratic and accountable through expansion in permanent and non-permanent categories of membership of the UN Security Council,” the joint statement read.

It is important to note that India has continued its efforts to advance the process of UNSC reforms, including active engagement in the Intergovernmental Negotiations (IGN) on Security Council reform. As part of the G4, which includes Brazil, Germany, and Japan, New Delhi has advocated for expanding the UNSC to include more nations as permanent members to reflect current geopolitical realities. On several occasions, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar have addressed reform issues in their speeches at the UN stage in New York.

On Ukraine Conflict

The Quad leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, also expressed deep concern over the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine and reaffirmed their commitment to international law, territorial integrity, and sovereignty. Condemning the ongoing violence and reiterating the need for a comprehensive and just peace, the leaders underlined the war’s negative impact on global food and energy security, particularly for developing nations.

Without naming Russia, they also declared that the use of nuclear weapons is unacceptable. “In the context of this war, we share the view that the use, or threat of use, of nuclear weapons is unacceptable. We underscore the importance of upholding international law, and in line with the UN Charter, reiterate that all states must refrain from the threat of or use of force against the territorial integrity and sovereignty or political independence of any state,” the statement read.

Gaza War

About the Gaza conflict, the leaders condemned the terror attacks on October 7 on Israel and stressed the urgency of humanitarian assistance for the war-ravaged Palestinian region. Besides calling for an immediate ceasefire, they called for the immediate release of all hostages held by Hamas.

The statement also highlighted the importance of a two-state solution, reiterating support for a sovereign Palestinian state while addressing Israel’s legitimate security concerns. The Quad leaders condemned the attacks by the Houthis against commercial vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, stressing that these actions destabilize the region and threaten maritime safety.