September 27, 2024
SINGAPORE – Singapore has called for constraints on the use of veto powers by the UN Security Council’s permanent members, saying that the council is in need of reform to tackle the challenges faced by a world in an “acutely dangerous phase”.
“All permanent members should focus on the broader goal of delivering international peace and security,” said Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan on Sept 25, in his first address to the Security Council since becoming Singapore’s top envoy nine years ago.
“However, the trend of the increasing exercise of the vetoes suggests we cannot leave this to the P5 (Permanent Five) to voluntarily change their behaviour.”
Among the Security Council’s 15 member states, five are permanent members with veto powers: the US, Britain, France, China and Russia. Veto powers have been used by the permanent members close to 300 times since the first one was cast in 1946.
The US, Russia and China have invoked the veto in recent years to restrict action and dialogue on various matters, including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the annexation of Crimea, as well as Israel and the Middle East.
Dr Balakrishnan said the wider UN membership must reach agreement on how the veto should be exercised, and that Singapore stands ready to discuss this further at the General Assembly.
“The approach is not to encroach on the council’s mandate, but to guard against actions that prevent the council from fulfilling its mandate,” he said at the UN Security Council Open Debate.
At a time when the international community is having to confront multiple conflicts in various parts of the world, critics have questioned the effectiveness of multilateral organisations in preventing or mitigating crises.
“The world is in an acutely dangerous phase and civilians in multiple trouble spots are paying a terrible price,” Dr Balakrishnan noted, adding: “And so, the United Nations is at an inflection point. We need to reform multilateral and UN institutions to address both current and future challenges, including reform of this very Security Council.”
He urged the Security Council to do more to prevent conflicts, and to react more quickly, particularly to humanitarian catastrophes and mass atrocities.
“The council should work more closely and effectively with the other main organs of the UN to facilitate both early warning and response,” said Dr Balakrishnan.
He also highlighted the need to strengthen the role of the Security Council’s 10 non-permanent members, which are elected for two-year terms by the General Assembly.
“We have seen how the E10 (Elected Ten) bridge gaps when the P5 were instead mired in mutual distrust and paralysis,” Dr Balakrishnan said.
The 10 current non-permanent members are Algeria, Ecuador, Guyana, Japan, Malta, Mozambique, South Korea, Sierra Leone, Slovenia and Switzerland.
He suggested that the E10 should have greater say in leading negotiations and decision-making, and be allowed to lead or co-lead on issues that concern their respective regions.
In a Facebook post after delivering his statement, Dr Balakrishnan wrote: “Speaking at the UN Security Council today, I urged the Permanent Members to show leadership and deliver on their responsibility to maintain international peace and security.
“I underlined the need to constrain the use of the veto so that the Security Council is not paralysed by inaction.
“The Security Council must do more to support preventive diplomacy and respond promptly to humanitarian crises. As a small state, it is in Singapore’s interest to see an effective Security Council that is able to uphold international law and contribute actively to peace and security.”
In April 2022, Singapore co-sponsored a resolution that was passed, requiring a General Assembly meeting to be convened automatically within 10 working days whenever a veto is cast by a permanent member of the Security Council.
At the time, Singapore’s ambassador and permanent representative to the United Nations, Mr Burhan Gafoor, said the resolution would provide a direct mechanism for the General Assembly to take a stand on critical issues of international peace and security where the Security Council is unable to act because of a lack of agreement among its permanent members.
“The adoption today of this resolution without a vote is an indication that there is overwhelming support for greater transparency and accountability on the use of the veto. This resolution is not only timely, it is also a substantive and meaningful contribution to the work of the United Nations,” said Mr Gafoor.
On Sept 25, Dr Balakrishnan also attended the second Group of 20 (G-20) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly at the invitation of Brazil, which is president of the grouping for 2024.
There, he delivered a statement on behalf of the Global Governance Group (3G) – which comprises 30 small and medium-sized UN member states – in which he underscored the 3G’s readiness to make concrete contributions to strengthening global governance, including through the G-20.
In his statement, he said the 3G agrees with Brazil that global governance institutions are in urgent need of reforms.
“First, they must reflect the realities of today, including the size and diversity of membership,” said the minister, noting that while the UN was founded with 51 members in 1945, it has now grown to a membership of 193 states.
“UN organs should similarly reflect the increasing diversity of its members across all three of its pillars. The same goes for the Bretton Woods Institutions,” he said, referring to the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.
To better address global challenges, these institutions must also remain open, inclusive and rules-based, and consider the concerns of all states, regardless of size and developmental status, said Dr Balakrishnan.
In addition, to remain fit for purpose, they must be nimble to address topics of increasing concern such as the advent of artificial intelligence, he added.
“In order to make meaningful changes, consensus based on the lowest common denominator will not suffice. Hence, the 3G urges all stakeholders to set aside our differences and exercise flexibility, so that negotiations can proceed meaningfully,” he said.
On Sept 26, Dr Balakrishnan also met the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of the Palestinian Authority, Dr Mohammad Mustafa, and conveyed Singapore’s concern over the increasingly dire situation in Gaza.
In response, Dr Mustafa expressed appreciation for the support and compassion of all Singaporeans, with the Republic having donated more than $17 million to the people of Gaza and trained more than 750 Palestinian officials over the years through the Enhanced Technical Assistance Package.
In a post on Instagram accompanied by a picture of the meeting, Dr Balakrishnan wrote: “Singapore stands ready to do more. We reiterate our call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire as well as the unconditional, immediate and safe release of all hostages.”
He added: “We look forward to peace, progress and reconstruction that the Palestinian people need and deserve.”
Dr Balakrishnan also conveyed an invitation for Dr Mustafa to visit Singapore.