‘Let’s Make The UN More Efficient’: France’s Macron Backs India’s Bid For Permanent Security Council Seat

Delivering his address at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Wednesday, French President Emmanuel Macron voiced strong support for India’s inclusion in a reformed UN Security Council (UNSC) as a permanent member.

Speaking at the General Assembly in New York, Macron also supported the candidacy of Brazil, Germany, Japan, and two countries from Africa.

“Let’s make the UN more efficient. We need to make it more representative and that’s why France is in favour of the Security Council being expanded,” he said. “Germany, Japan, India, and Brazil should be permanent members, along with two countries that Africa will decide to represent them,” he added.

What Is The UNSC?

As one of the six main organs of the UN, the Security Council is responsible for maintaining international peace and security. It consists of 15 members: five permanent members with veto power (the United States, China, France, Russia, and the United Kingdom) and 10 non-permanent members elected for two-year terms.

The Council’s primary functions include the investigation of conflicts, the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the imposition of sanctions, and the authorisation of military action when necessary. It plays a crucial role in addressing global crises and conflicts, making it a key player in international diplomacy.

Why Are Reforms The Need Of The Hour?

The question of equitable representation has been on the Assembly’s agenda since 1979. However, the calls for reform grew louder amid widening conflict worldwide. The UN General Assembly concluded its discussion on Security Council reform in November 2022, when member states had agreed on the need to modernise the 15-member body to maintain the relevance of the United Nations. With the UNSC failing to pass resolutions to stop the Russia-Ukraine war, questions were raised on the veto power of some permanent members.

The veto is not a right, but rather a privilege unfairly granted to some member states in violation of the United Nations Charter, the representative of Iran had emphasised. He had also noted that the majority of the Council’s members were Western nations. For years now, several member states have backed the idea of expanding both the permanent and non-permanent member categories.

India’s Bid For Permanent Seat

Several nations, including permanent UNSC members like the US, have expressed support for India’s inclusion in this powerful group. However, China has opposed such a move. Under successive governments, India has continued its efforts to move the process of UNSC reforms forward, including by engaging actively in the ongoing Intergovernmental Negotiations (IGN) on the 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.

Macron’s latest push for India’s bid came just days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi advocated for reformed multilateral forums at the UN stage. On Monday, PM Modi stressed that the future relevance of UN agencies hinges on how swiftly they can reform, implicitly referencing India’s bid for a permanent seat on the Security Council. The long pending UNSC reform continues to be a big talking point.

On Sunday, Quad leaders called for urgent reforms to the UNSC to make it more representative and called for its expansion to include representation from more countries. After the leaders’ summit in President Joe Biden’s hometown, Quad leaders 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.