France’s Permanent Representative, Jerome Bonnafont, emphasized the need for text-based negotiations to accelerate Security Council reforms and add permanent members for enhanced legitimacy. He stated that France is committed to expanding both permanent and non-permanent membership categories to improve representativeness. Bonnafont highlighted the importance of initiating negotiations based on a draft text without waiting for unattainable consensus, as per the Charter.
The Inter-Governmental Negotiation (IGN) process, aimed at Security Council reform, is facing obstacles from a group of countries led by Italy, hindering the adoption of a negotiating text. This group, known as Uniting for Consensus and including Pakistan, insists on consensus before adopting a negotiating text, creating a deadlock in the reform process. India and other nations have called for the adoption of a negotiating text to facilitate meaningful progress in the IGN.
During a high-level debate on “Reaffirming International Rule of Law,” India and the Secretary-General urged for urgent Security Council reforms. India’s Permanent Representative, P Harish, stressed the need to add permanent members to address the challenges faced by the UN in maintaining the international rule of law effectively. Secretary-General Guterres emphasized the imperative of Council reform without delay, highlighting its crucial role in making binding decisions on global peace and security.
France supports India’s bid for a permanent seat on a reformed Council, advocating for a more representative and effective global governance system. Bonnafont reiterated France’s commitment to evolving multilateralism and enhancing the Council’s representation and effectiveness. He underscored the importance of Council reforms in addressing widespread violations of international law and human rights across regions like Sudan, Gaza, and Ukraine.
