Lok Sabha TV Insights – G4 Power Parleys
G4 nations comprises of Japan, India, Brazil, Germany to support each other’s bids for UN permanent seats at UNSC. First time India has upgraded meeting from Foreign ministers level to heads of the nations. India is playing as host to the G4 group meeting on the sideline of 70th anniversary of UN in 2015.
Recent development at United Nations
“Text based Negotiations” has been accepted by UNGA on September 14, which will be basis for the future Security Council expansion. Text contents are about what reforms are needed, role of UNSC, regional dispersal and representations, etc.
It is also being called Kutesa Consensus, named after the president of General Assembly Sam Kutesa of Uganda, who completed his term on September 15, 2015
What G4 Nations want?
- They want to consider the Contribution of G4 nations in UN missions
- Present UNSC composition doesn’t reflect the proper representation in 21st century
- The relation between UNSC and UNGA, should be transparent and there should be synchronous relationship
- IR conditions are very different now, so there may be change in conventional attitudes of the countries
- G4 nations also want representative from Africa (55 Countries)
Reactions
- It is being considered as milestone agreement.
- African Union , Nordic countries, Arab group also welcomed the decision
- P5 nations are being ambiguous in supporting India
- P5 nations are opposing Japan and also India coming along with Japan
- In Feb, China’s position was there should not be Time bound negotiations. But recently China and Pakistan opposed the move and termed it as “not fair and transparent”
- Recently, US has shown positive response to support India’s bid for UNSC, since Indo- US relation is gaining momentum.
- Other countries, part of interest group called “Uniting for Consensus”(Ufc) also called “the coffee club”, formed in 1995, are opposed to G4’s bid.
UNSC was established in 1945 to replace the ineffective League of Nations (1919), with 5 permanent members and at that time UN has 51 member states. Now, the UN has 193 member states and its structure remains stuck in the world of 1945 with still 5 permanent members in UNSC and 10 non- permanent members. Since then, population has also grown from 2.3 billion to 7 billion now.
The UNSC, as presently comprised is neither geographically representative nor effective. The recent developments show that UNSC needs to reflect new world realities and the new geopolitical balance.
India’s point of view
India has been elected as a non-permanent member to UNSC for seven terms, last was in 2011-12.
India’s is a $2 trillion economy, with third largest country in terms of purchasing power parity, a responsible nuclear power with third largest standing army in the world, ruled by a democratic, secular government.
India is the largest contributor to the UN peacekeeping Operations with nearly 180,000 troops serving in 44 missions.
India is also one among the highest financial contributors to the UN and its organs like UNDEF (Democracy Funds) that too when economically and morally exhausted nations like France and UK remain on the council.
