NAIROBI: Kenyan President William Ruto has strongly criticized the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for what he perceived as its “ineffectiveness” and absence of democratic principles.
Speaking at the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York on Thursday, he called for fundamental reform of the UNSC, emphasizing the need for proactivity and inclusivity in order to prevent conflicts and rapidly resolve current international crises.
Ruto emphasized that the world’s peace and security systems have in many instances failed.
He said that time has come to place the nature and purpose of multilateralism under sharp scrutiny for honest examination and judgment by history.
Kenyan leader further said that if any confirmation was ever needed that the UNSC is dysfunctional, non-inclusive, undemocratic, and unrepresentative and therefore incapable of delivering meaningful progress, and the rampant impunity of certain actors on the world scene settles that matter.
Kenyan leader’s address draws attention to pressing issue
Ruto’s address drew attention to the pressing problem of the Security Council’s effectiveness, an issue that has long been debated within the global community.
He expressed his serious concern about the Council’s inability to fulfill its core mandate, especially in preventing conflicts and maintaining world peace.
He added that the failure of peace and security systems, inadequate development and restricted climate action amidst technological advancement and enormous wealth has left the world in a state of paralysis and during one of the darkest periods of human existence.
Ruto told international leaders that the world is headed in a most undesirable direction as multilateralism has been failed by negligence, abuse of trust, and impunity by the global community.
Over the years, African countries have emphasized the importance of equitable representation on the global stage, highlighting the need for the Security Council to better reflect the diverse voices and perspectives of the African continent and the broader international community.
Africa has continuously championed its demand for a permanent seat within the UNSC, a cause that has been tirelessly pursued since 2005.
