Security Council is “most undemocratic” UN institution -Guyana’s Permanent Rep to UN

Last Updated on Thursday, 25 July 2024, 22:37 by Writer

Guyana’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN), Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett has declared that the Security Council lacks democracy because any of its Permanent members could derail a majority of members.

Speaking at a discussion about next September’s UN Summit of the Future, she said the Security Council does not represent the will of the majority. “The Security Council is the most undemocratic organ of the United Nations. We sit there now and sometimes I’m amazed that you have five countries with a veto that can scuttle anything that you bring there and you have seen in recent times where you have 13 countries voting in favour of 14 and one country says ‘no’ and that’s it,” she said.

The UN Security Council’s Permanent members are United States, United Kingdom, China, Russia and France. Guyana was elected to a non-permanent seat of the Security Council last January for a two-year term.

Sierra Leone will next month hold the Presidency of the Security Council, starting off with a signature event on reform of that body.

Ms Rodrigues-Birkett said Guyana supports reform of the Security Council. Among Guyana’s proposals is for the veto system to be scrapped altogether, but she left the door open for a compromise position. “Guyana’s position is that we would like to see the veto abolished but if it’s going to be kept – because we don’t think people give up power – if it’s going to be kept, then any additional permanent member should have the same right as well,” said the former Minister of Foreign Affairs.

The Guyana Permanent Representative also said her country wants limitations on using the veto in cases of genocide and other serious crimes. “You shouldn’t be able to use the veto,” she said.

Also down on Guyana and other Caribbean Community (CARICOM) member states agenda for Security Council reform is the inclusion of Africa and rotational representation by small island states (SIDs). Ms Rodrigues-Birkett, however, was not entirely optimistic that there would be major shifts in the near term, though she acknowledged that the frequent use of veto power in recent years has opened people’s eyes about how the system works. “I’m not seeing the end of this road on reform very close but we have to continue to speak on it,” she said.