Let's make UN more effective: French President voices support for permanent UNSC seat for India

French President Emmanuel Macron. Pic/AFP

French President Emmanuel Macron voiced France's support for India's inclusion as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). The remarks by Macron came during his address at the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). Macron said, "As long as we have a Security Council that is blocked reciprocally, I would say, according to each one's respective interests, it will be difficult to move forward. Is there a better system, I don't think so."

The French President also emphasised the need for reform within the UN, stressing that making the organisation more representative is the crucial step towards greater effectiveness. "So let's simply make the UN more effective, first and foremost by making it more representative. That's why France, and I will say it again here, supports the expansion of the Security Council. Germany, Japan, India, and Brazil should be permanent members, along with the two countries designated by Africa to represent it," he said.

Notably, India has long sought a permanent seat in the Security Council to better represent the interests of the developing world. The nation's quest has gained momentum with support from the international community. The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is composed of 15 member states, including five permanent members with veto power and ten non-permanent members elected for two-year terms.

The five permanent members of the UNSC include China, the United Kingdom, France, Russia, and the United States. The non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council are elected for 2-year terms by the UNGA. Earlier on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his address in the 'Summit of the Future' at the UN General Assembly in New York, also called for reforms in the global institutions and termed reforms the "key to relevance."

He also called the African Union's inclusion as a permanent member in the G20 an "important step" in this direction. PM Narendra Modi also expressed India's willingness to share its experiences of success with the Global South. He said that the success of humanity lies in "collective strength" and not the battlefield.

"When we discuss the global future, we must accord the highest priority to a human-centric approach. While prioritising sustainable development, we must also ensure human welfare, food, and health security. By lifting 250 million people out of poverty in India, we have demonstrated that sustainable development can be successful. We are ready to share our experiences of our success with the Global South. The success of humanity lies in our collective strength, not on the battlefield," PM Modi said.

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