“There must be real reforms of the UN Security Council, not mere cosmetic changes here and there,” said head of the Media Section at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Osama Nugali here Sunday.
Nugali was speaking prior to a major ministerial meeting of UN member states to be opened Monday in Rome. He said the Kingdom's delegation at the UN conference would be led by Nizar Obaid Madani, minister of state for foreign affairs. The Rome meeting has the mandate to discuss expansion of the Security Council, with emphasis on the need for consensus in deciding reforms of this apex 15-member UN body.
Asked about the Saudi position on UN reforms, Nugali said Riyadh supports the call for reforms to secure broader membership of the Security Council to improve geographical representation, promote transparency, avoid application of double standard and ensure the adoption of measures to enhance the credibility of its work.
“We want real reforms of the UN institutions including the Security Council … we don't want any mechanical reforms,” he added. “We are happy to share our views and interact with countries as well as global institutions in this regard.”
He said there should be reforms with an aim to make the Security Council more representative and more transparent as the council is the only body that can demand and enforce action on the global level.
Saudi Arabia has been of the view that tremendous global changes and the magnitude of challenges facing the international community today make imperative a reevaluation of the structure and mechanisms of the UN, with the aim of enhancing its capabilities for conflict resolution and prevention in order to preserve world peace and security. The Kingdom has been one of the largest contributors to different UN agencies through the years.
Not only this, Saudi Arabia made an unprecedented contribution of $500 million to the UN World Food Program to respond to rising food and fuel prices a couple of years back.
Also, Riyadh has been consistently supporting the campaign for real reforms of the UN institutions including the UN Security Council. In fact, “The Security Council reform is the most fundamental and difficult of all UN reform issues,” said a European diplomat, adding that real negotiations to reform the UN Security Council may begin this year.
