Brazilian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mauro Vieira on Wednesday called for reforms of the UN and other multilateral institutions while criticizing their inability to prevent global conflicts, as the nation kicked off its presidency of the G20.
Vieira told fellow foreign ministers during opening remarks for a G20 meeting in Rio de Janeiro that the UN Security Council has been unable to prevent or halt conflicts such as those playing out in Ukraine and the Gaza Strip.
“Multilateral institutions are not adequately equipped to deal with current challenges, as demonstrated by the unacceptable paralysis of the Security Council in relation to ongoing conflicts,” Vieira said.
Photo: EPA-EFE
Foreign ministers of the 20 leading rich and developing nations are gathering this week to discuss poverty, climate change and heightened global tensions, setting a roadmap for work to accomplish ahead of a Nov. 18 to 19 summit in Rio.
One of Brazil’s key proposals, set by Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, is a reform of global governance institutions such as the UN, the WTO and multilateral banks, where he wants to push for stronger representation of developing nations.
Lula on Feb. 18 reiterated his interest in expanding the UN Security Council, contemplating the entry of more countries from Africa, Latin America, as well as India, Germany or Japan.
“We need to add more people and end the right of veto in the UN, because it is not possible for a country alone to be able to veto the approval of something approved by all members,” Lula said while on a state visit to Ethiopia.
Whether Lula’s push would be successful remains to be seen, as permanent members of the Security Council have in the past been dismissive of attempts at reform that would result in a loss of their power.
“Currently there is no momentum to reform the UN. The UN is in crisis, and maybe transforming the Security Council now is not ideal,” said Lucas Pereira Rezende, a political scientist at the Federal University of Minas Gerais.
Vieira said Brazil was “deeply worried” by the proliferation of conflicts around the world — not just in Ukraine and Gaza, but in more than 170 locations, according to some studies, he said.
Vieira said more than US$2 trillion a year is spent on military budgets globally and that more of that money should go toward development aid programs.
“If inequalities and climate change do, in fact, constitute existential threats, I cannot avoid the feeling that we lack concrete actions on these issues,” Vieira said. “These are the wars we must fight in 2024.”
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