Shifting the Balance: Perspectives on UNSC Reforms from the Global South Think Tanks

Permanent Missions of India, Brazil, South Africa and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines jointly co-hosted a Round Table discussion on ‘Shifting the Balance; Perspectives on UNSC Reforms from the Global South Think Tanks ’ at UN Head Quarters on Wednesday, 1 June 2023. A large number of UN delegates, NGOs and Civil Society representatives attended the event.

The event was moderated by Mr. Samir Saran, Observer Research Foundation, India. The other contributors were Mr. Matias Spektor, Professor of International Relations at FGV (Brazil) and Visiting Scholar at Princeton University and Mr. Gustavo de Carvalho, Senior Researcher, South Africa Institute of International Affairs. The panelists underscored the urgent need for reform of the UN Security Council and increased representation of the Global South in both permanent and non-permanent membership of the UNSC.

Permanent Representative of India Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj; Permanent Representative of Brazil Ambassador João Genésio de Almeida Filho; Permanent Representative of South Africa Ambassador Mathu Joyini, and Permanent Representative of Saint Vincent Grenadines Inga Rhonda King also presented the perspectives of the Global South; the inadequacies of the ongoing IGN process; need to fast track the process to begin text-based negotiations; the importance of concluding the IGN process in a time bound manner.