UNITED NATIONS: Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Tuesday strongly condemned the makeup of the United Nations Security Council as an “unacceptable echo of the practices of domination of the colonial past.”
During his address at the UN General Assembly, Lula emphasized the need for comprehensive reform to include underrepresented regions, specifically Latin America and Africa, in permanent seats.
In his remarks, Lula highlighted the exclusion of these regions as emblematic of outdated colonial power dynamics that persist in global governance. He called for a “comprehensive review” of the United Nations Charter to reform not only the Security Council but also to prioritize critical issues such as climate change.
Acknowledging the complexities of such reforms, Lula stated, “I am under no illusions about the complexity of such reform, which would go against ingrained interests that maintain the status quo.”
Lula’s comments reflect a broader frustration with the entrenched power of the Council’s five permanent members—Britain, China, France, Russia, and the United States—whose status was solidified by their roles as victors in World War II.
US President Joe Biden also addressed the issue of Security Council reform in his speech, advocating for an expansion of the Council to include new voices and perspectives. “We must build a stronger, more effective, and more inclusive United Nations,” Biden said.
The US ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, reinforced this stance last week, expressing support for two permanent seats for Africa and a new elected seat for small island states, which are especially vulnerable to climate change impacts.
However, analysts said that the Biden administration’s backing for reform may be more rhetorical than actionable, as it anticipates potential pushback from rivals Russia and China.
