PM Anwar: UN Security Council veto power needs reform, be more inclusive

RIO DE JANEIRO, Nov 19 — The veto power held by the P5 (Permanent Five) countries in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) should be more inclusive, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

“The current setting is grossly unfair. There needs to be representatives from Latin America and Africa,” he said, adding that reforms of the United Nations (UN) have been in discussion for over five decades.

“We are talking about reform of the institution of the United Nations. We’re talking about ideals, humanity, (and) humanitarian values.

“We’re talking about representatives. There’s no representation from Africa, no representation for Latin America, who cares?

“Hence, they must consider adequate democratic representation from (the) regions (of) Latin America and Africa. It’s grossly unfair to continue UNSC by excluding them,” he said at the second session of the ‘Reform of the Institutions of Global Governance’ at the G20 Summit here on Monday.

The five permanent members of the UNSC, also known as the Big Five or P5, are China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Anwar said the call for the reform of the UN must include principles of representation. — Bernama