This debate over the abuses within the UN Security Council and the Permanent Five members that wield veto power is not new. Malaysia has made the argument for years now, that the veto power be removed completely. They have been attempting to remove this power from the SC before the war on Gaza began. Other countries have tried to add accountability measures to the veto power or initiatives for the P5 to not veto resolutions against war crimes and atrocities. Despite the initiative and the previous discussions on the abuse of the veto within the UNSC, the UN is still at a standstill.
With the war raging on in Gaza and no cessation near, and with multiple attempts to pass a ceasefire resolution in the SC repeatedly vetoed by the US, many countries are demanding immediate changes to the structure of the UNSC.
Malaysia has blazed the way for a while in the name of reform and to protect the democratic process within the UN. Malaysia has made the point that the ability to veto disrupts the fairness of what would be a democratic vote. It does give the P5 way too much power, and that has been demonstrated with the war on Gaza and the inability for a binding ceasefire resolution to pass.
The UN has called for discussions and input at Intergovernmental Negotiations for the UNSC reform. Many countries are in support of the abolishment of the Security Council veto and to enlarge the Security Council.
Of course it was China, a member of the P5, who spoke of the importance of the veto. China does not want to lose a world-altering power. But these 5 countries that have the ability to veto are destroying this world with their power. England went with a different approach and listed each instance of support for reform in the SC, with their most important show of support in the fact that they have not vetoed a UNSC resolution since 1989.
Bahrain, Egypt, Korea, and even Italy want to fully abolish the P5’s veto power. As the Egyptian delegate succinctly put it, “All nations are equally sovereign, then we should not accept that 5 nations are more equal than others.” The Egyptian delegate went on to say that the veto has become weaponized and allowing for a genocide in Gaza to continue. Those are powerful words aimed at Israel and the US. Korea made a very important point that the P5 have lost credibility with their abuse of the veto which also affects the credibility of the GA and the UN as a whole. If the veto is to be abolished, it is going to have to come from the P5, which the delegate to Pakistan says will never happen.
Back in 2015, the France and Mexico initiative was created, which called on the Permanent Members of the Security Council to use “restraint” with vetoing resolutions on war crimes, genocide, and mass atrocities.
Some members of the UNGA were fine with the France and Mexico initiative, but after the US deliberately vetoed every permanent ceasefire resolution, countries are now calling for the complete elimination of the the P5’s veto.
In order to abolish the veto in the UNSC, will it require France, Russia, China, the US, and the UK to agree to the change? If that is the case, it is obvious that the US, Russia, and China won’t be letting that power slip between their fingers. The delegate to Italy did say that the P5 are not willing or ready to relinquish their veto.
So then the Korean delegate is right, the entire UN loses credibility because votes are weaponized. Malaysia and Egyptian delegates are correct that there is no democracy or respect of sovereignty if a select few can vote against the will of the majority. India put it perfectly when their delegate stated that this debate has gone on for 16 years now with no progress made, but actions must be taken because real people suffer the consequences of their inaction. India also made it clear that the P5 should not have veto power over their reform.
There is a way for the UNGA to push the P5 to give up their veto power. One way would be for the UN to rewrite the treaty restructuring the Security Council and removing the veto power. Members would then need to agree to these changes and ratify a new treaty. If the P5 do not want to be a member of the UN, then so be it. The other way would be for the other nations to sanction and embargo the P5 each time they break the France/Mexico initiative. Really, all of these countries should have sanctions and embargoes for the US at the very least, but they do not.
As much as they all say they want change, they do have powerful diplomatic tools to utilize but they choose inaction out of economic fears for their country. Those are very real, but this world is falling apart as a result of their inactions and fear.
It’s time for leaders to unite together and sanction and embargo the global oppressors. Cut off all trade to the P5 that have weaponized their vetoes until changes are made. This would be the right course for a country to take if they wanted to show that they uphold human rights, which is the basis of the UN.
Malaysia is the only country to have a trade embargo on Israel, with Spain working out an arms embargo. That’s only two countries, and no one is going after Israel’s major supporter, the US. Nothing will change until head’s of state cut off economic and diplomatic ties with the US and the other countries arms and funding Israel.
Until these countries have the courage to enact a complete embargo and sanctions against the P5 who have vetoed resolutions against human rights violations, nothing will change. As much as they want change, these countries are doing nothing with the power they do wield to push for reform in the UNSC.
How have no world leaders or delegates to the UN not called on the US to respect the France/Mexico initiative? How has no country held the US accountable for not respecting the initiative?
Because no one has even once berated the US for enabling Israel’s genocide, they all play a role in the horrific death toll in Gaza and the suffering of Palestinians.
They have the power. They know what they can do to end the war on Gaza, in Sudan, the war crimes in DRC, and all of the atrocities throughout the world, but they are too scared of their oppressors. In sixteen years, nothing has been accomplished and now the abuses within the UNSC are out of control.
Innocent people are left to suffer because these leaders are too scared to take action.
We need leaders in power who have the courage to hold the aggressors accountable. While these countries might have a lofty and noble goal to abolish the veto, none of these countries will take the necessary action for these changes. They are simply sweeping a sand dune. It looks like they’re busy accomplishing something, but the dune will remain and sand will accumulate.
From the river to the sea, may the whole world be free.
Protest
BE UNGOVERNABLE
Vote 3rd party
Disrupt everything
Boycott
Demand sanctions and embargoes for Israel, US, UK, Canada, France, Germany, Australia, Rwanda, UAE, and Russia.
Please extend your energy to other countries and people facing atrocities and genocide in Palestine, Sudan, Congo, West Papua, the Rohingyas, Armenians, and the Uyghurs.
These are extremely eyeopening. Please read and share.
Security Council Report: 62/557
Global Centre with the Responsibility to Protest: Political Declaration on Suspension of Veto Powers in Cases of Mass Atrocities