India and the other G-4 countries have expressed disappointment at attempts to derail the process of reforms at the United Nations and updating its main decision-making bodies in order to reflect contemporary realities.

At a virtual meeting on the sidelines of the 75th session of the UN General Assembly, the foreign ministers India, Brazil, Japan and Germany observed that as part of the reforms process, an expansion of the Security Council in both categories would be indispensable to make this body more representative, legitimate and effective, thereby enhancing its capacity to deal with the complex challenges the world faced today on questions of international peace and security. “Only if we manage to reform the Security Council will we stop it from becoming obsolete,” they said in a joint statement.

The meeting was attended by external affairs minister S Jaishankar, Brazil foreign minister Ernesto Araújo, Japanese foreign minister Motegi Toshimitsu and German foreign minister Heiko Maas. The four countries have staked claims for permanent seats on the Security Council and support each other’s candidature.

The four countries said broader membership of the Security Council, with increased and enhanced representation of countries with the capacity and willingness to contribute to the maintenance of international peace and security, including from Africa, would allow it to preserve its credibility and create the political backing needed for the peaceful resolution of today’s international crises.

The four ministers expressed concern at the lack of any meaningful movement forward in the Inter-governmental Negotiations (IGN) on Security Council reform and expressed concern that ~ after February and March sessions ~ the IGN was adjourned due to Covid-19 and no further meetings were held thereafter. Virtual meetings or a written process could have taken place to allow for progress to be made in the previous session. They were convinced that time has come to leave behind debates based solely on general statements, without substantive text-based negotiations actually taking place in an intergovernmental setting.

An overwhelming majority of UN member-nations support a comprehensive reform of the Security Council, and expect the IGN to deliver concrete outcomes in the 75th anniversary year of the UN. The IGN in the current session should start immediately as a direct continuation of the previous session, they added.