Two elected seats for small island developing states and two permanent seats for African countries would be added to the UN Security Council, according to the Biden administration’s plans.
The plan was unveiled on September 12, 2024, by U.S. Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield, culminating her almost four-year endeavor to grant greater authority to nations that have traditionally been excluded from decisions about global peace and security.
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As the UN General Assembly prepares to meet from September 22–24, the announcement has been made. Though it’s unclear if the reform talks would be finished in time for the general assembly, a senior administration official stated that the United States is ready to “get to work on a resolution for a vote in the general assembly to amend the U.N. Charter,” prepare amendments, and pursue “text-based negotiations.”
The official briefed reporters by phone the morning of the event, saying, “The announcement we’re making today helps to put some meat around the bones of our vision for a reformed Security Council, but there are many questions that will need to be addressed between and among member states, and that ultimately will be fodder for the text-based negotiations.”
No veto power on permanent seats for African countries is being suggested by the United States. Russia, China, France, the United States, and the United Kingdom are the five permanent members of the council and hold this authority.
The Security Council has the authority to enforce travel restrictions, blockades, economic sanctions, weapons embargoes, diplomatic relations breakups, and even collective military action.
It has ten seats with members chosen for two-year periods in addition to the permanent members. There are seats set aside for nations with a significant geographic effect.
The Caribbean, Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, and South China Sea regions are included in the 39 states that make up the U.S. proposal for a rotating seat for a “small island developing state.”
The administration source stated, “Many member states agree that these 39 states, representing 65 million people, deserve a consistent say in the council and that their perspective on matters of peace and security, especially as it relates to climate change, will benefit all of us.”
The administration official stated that although African states have no veto power, they support two permanent seats because they provide a “perspective and durability of that perspective on the council, that is otherwise not afforded by a rotating seat.” Currently, African states occupy three rotating seats.
The veto power wielded by the five permanent members not only prevents action but has also rendered the council unable to deal with crises like Russia’s war in Ukraine and attempts to force Israel to agree with a cease-fire in its battle with Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
The United States has said that talks on the overall number of permanent and non-permanent seats on a reformed council should take place as part of text-based negotiations that are also carried out as part of the Intergovernmental Negotiations on Security Council Reform, but it has not stated its position on this matter.
The official stated, “We’ve unveiled this proposal to partners and allies around the world in recent days, and we’ve been heartened by the enthusiastic feedback. This process won’t be quick or simple, but it’s something we’re serious about.”
Additionally, the United States is in favor of establishing permanent seats for nations from Latin America and the Caribbean as well as for Germany, India, and Japan.
“We recognize there will never be a perfect Security Council, there will never be a model Security Council reform that satisfies everyone’s goals,” stated the official.
The official concluded the address by stating, “But our view on this is we cannot let the perfect be the enemy of the good, and we can and should still try to achieve a reform council that is more representative, more credible, and ultimately more effective in addressing the challenges and opportunities that the world faces today.”
