FM Qureshi calls for making UNSC more effective, transparent

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has stressed that there is a need to make the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) more transparent, effective, and accountable to address the multiple challenges facing the world, a statement issued by the Foreign Office (FO) stated on Friday.

Speaking at the Ministerial meeting of the Uniting for Consensus (UfC) Group on UNSC reform on the sidelines of the General Assembly’s 76th Session in New York, Qureshi said that the reform of the Security Council must be decided by consensus and it should enhance the representation of all UN member states.

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"Only an acceptable formula with an increase in the non-permanent members, and rotation through democratic elections, can provide more equitable representation for all States on the Security Council," the FO quoted Qureshi as saying.

"Attempts by some states to create new centres of privilege could derail the reform process and exacerbate divisions."

He said that UfC’s principled position offered the only practical solution to the reform of the Security Council. Qureshi stated that the member states must be allowed the necessary time and space to evolve a solution acceptable to the entire UN membership.

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Meanwhile, the ministerial meeting issued a joint press statement on behalf of the UfC group and reiterated opposition to the creation of new permanent seats in the Security Council, and "underlined that an effective and democratic Security Council cannot be achieved with the addition of new members with exclusive national rights and unequal privileges".

"The statement noted that in order to help redress historical injustices, efforts towards a reformed Security Council should aim at achieving equitable representation for African countries as well as to ensure an enhanced representation and a greater voice for other developing regions, Small States and SIDS."

The UfC ministers also called upon all member states to continue to work constructively to reach a fair and equitable compromise solution that meets the collective interest of all 193 members of the UN.