James Cleverly said the UN needs «bold reform»; Photo: 10 Downing Street.
The Foreign Secretary called for a major overhaul of the UN, which would give India and Brazil seats on its Security Council.
James Cleverley said the West is in the 1940s years. «turning point in history» style and that the war in Ukraine, advances in technology and science, as well as climate change and mass migration mean that the world is transforming.
Thus, it required a «reformed and revitalized system multilateralism,” he said, and also called on Germany and Japan to become permanent members of the Council, which includes only the US, UK, France, China and Russia.
There has been frustration among Western nations after Moscow used its position on the Security Council last year to veto a draft Council resolution condemning its invasion of Ukraine.
After Russia assumed the chairmanship of the Council in April, Ukrainian officials criticized the move, saying that the body's role should be to end the conflict, and Russia is currently in a state of war.
The composition of the council was agreed at the end of World War II and Mr. Cleverly would like it to be updated.
“We want the permanent African representation and membership to be expanded to India, Brazil, Germany and Japan ,» Mr. Cleverley said at a conference at the Chatham House think tank. “I know this is a bold reform. But it will take the Security Council to the 2020s. And the UN Security Council grew earlier, though not since 1965.”
Permanent African Mission
Mr. Cleverly also proposed expanding the G20 to include a «Permanent African Representation.»
He said that due to the skew in the Indo-Pacific region, as well as Africa's share of the world's population, from -doubling by 2100 against the background of a shrinking Europe, «in the coming decades, an increasing share of world power will be in the hands of the countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America.»
«Together they will decide whether the international order will survive» , he said.
“I acknowledge that multilateral reform is extremely difficult to implement. But it will be of great benefit to the UK and the world. The most important of these, of course, is to ensure a lasting international order. One that is suited to today's challenges, not yesterday's battles.»
Mr Cleverley insisted that multilateralism is not «contradictory to national sovereignty and democracy.»
«His the goal is to protect and strengthen them,” he said.
Vasily Nebenzya, Moscow's representative to the UN. Russia received the post of chairman of the Security Council in April. Photo: Michael M. Santiago/Getty
Speaking of the war in Ukraine, Mr Cleverly said: “Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine is a deliberate attack on the UN Charter and on the fundamental principles of the international order, which was designed primarily to put an end to all attempts at conquest and annexation. But war is not our only problem. In the 2020s, as in the 1940s, we are experiencing a turning point in human history — a period of dizzying and rapid economic, demographic, technological and social change.”
He added that the Russian illegal invasion, and also the Covid pandemic has thrown the UN sustainable development goals «astray» and warned that if this is not addressed, 88% of them may fall short of the targets by 2030.
Speaking in Q&A after his speech, Mr. Cleverly said that he still intends to visit China this year, despite criticism from senior Conservative MPs about the visit.
Mr. Cleverly said he would raise the issue about the annexation of Hong Kong Kun, and to discuss the situation in Taiwan and human rights violations when he goes to Beijing.
He said: “If I am going to carry out the reform that I intend to carry out in the multilateral system, China is very an important and influential player in many of these organizations, and therefore engaging with him is an important part of the agenda that I have laid out.”
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