The 193 members of the United Nations General Assembly adopted by consensus on Tuesday, April 26 a resolution that requires justification of use of the Security Council veto. The resolution is aimed at the UN’s five permanent member states: the United States, China, Russia, France, and Britain.
Co-sponsored by 83 countries, including Japan and Germany, which look to become permanent members of a potentially enlarged Security Council, the resolution failed to receive co-sponsorship from the so-called BRIC countries, including Brazil and India which are also hoping to join the Council.
The reform, which has been pending for two years and initiated by Liechtenstein’s ambassador to the UN, Christian Wenaweserm, was adopted against a backdrop of Russia’s all-out war against Ukraine.
According to Liechtenstein’s ambassador, the text aims to “promote the role of (the) United Nations, to promote multilateralism and to promote the voice of all of us who are not veto holders and who are not on the Security Council on matters of international peace and security. He also believes that the power of veto comes with the responsibility to work to achieve “the purposes and principles of the UN Charter at all times”.
Despite the timing and the fact that neither Russia nor China favor the resolution, Wenaweserm insisted that “it is not directed against Russia”.
As regard to the reform, the General Assembly will have “to hold a debate on the situation as to which veto was cast” within 10 days after voting has taken place. While the text is non-binding, meaning that the veto-holder can simply decline to explain its actions to the General Assembly, it could help “shed light” on the use of the veto and the “blockages” within the Security Council, according to one ambassador speaking on condition of anonymity.
Another unnamed ambassador noted that permanent member states will have to “pay a higher political price” when they use the veto to strike down a Security Council resolution. Meanwhile a representative of the Russia-China axis, also speaking anonymously, criticized the move, claiming it would further divide the United Nations.
The resolution will take immediate effect.
