India, Brazil, Germany and Japan call for a consolidated reform model reflecting the views of the UN majority and greater representation for under-represented regions
New York, September 23. (SDNA) India, Brazil, Germany and Japan have renewed their joint effort to reform the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), arguing that the Council’s composition needs to better reflect the realities of the contemporary international system.
Foreign Ministers of the four G4 countries met in New York on September 22 on the margins of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly. The meeting was chaired by India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar, with Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira and German Foreign Minister Johann David Wadephul taking part. The ministers issued a joint statement after the meeting.
Both Membership Categories in Focus
A central point of the G4 discussion was the expansion of both categories of Security Council membership—permanent and non-permanent.
Japan’s Foreign Ministry said the G4 noted that a majority of UN member states had expressed support during the 80th session of the Intergovernmental Negotiations (IGN) for expanding both categories. The ministers stressed that this broad support should be reflected in a consolidated model for Security Council reform.
The G4 countries have consistently argued that any comprehensive restructuring of the Council should improve its representation, legitimacy and effectiveness.
Greater Voice for Under-Represented Regions
The four countries also highlighted the need to address the representation of regions that remain comparatively under-represented in the Council.
Africa has emerged as a particular focus of the reform discussions. The G4 welcomed the presentation of an African model during the latest IGN session and expressed readiness to work with African countries and other relevant UN members to develop a consolidated proposal.
The discussions also involve wider questions concerning representation from Asia-Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean and other regions.
Push to Move Beyond Prolonged Negotiations
The G4 ministers agreed to intensify coordination during the current IGN session and work with other countries, including the existing permanent members of the Security Council.
Their stated objective is to move towards a consolidated model that incorporates the views of a broad majority of UN members and produces concrete progress during the current session.
The emphasis on a consolidated model reflects an effort to bring different reform proposals into a more structured negotiating framework rather than continuing discussions solely around separate national or regional positions.
India Maintains Long-Standing Reform Position
India has for years supported expansion of the Security Council and greater representation for developing countries. The G4 grouping—India, Brazil, Germany and Japan—has jointly advocated reform and expanded membership as part of efforts to make the Council more representative of contemporary global realities.
Japan’s Foreign Ministry has similarly stated that the current structure reflects the international situation of an earlier era and that expansion of both permanent and non-permanent membership is necessary to strengthen the Council’s legitimacy and representativeness.
Reform Debate Remains Complex
Despite renewed political support for reform, the issue remains subject to negotiations among UN member states. The intergovernmental process covers several sensitive questions, including the number and distribution of additional seats, regional representation and the institutional structure of a reformed Council.
The latest G4 meeting therefore represents another step in a longer diplomatic process. The four countries have agreed to continue consultations with other member states and coordinate their positions as negotiations on Security Council reform move forward.
With the 81st UN General Assembly session underway, the G4 is seeking to build wider support for a reform framework that incorporates both permanent and non-permanent membership expansion and gives greater weight to regions that remain under-represented in the existing Council.
— SDNA