ISLAMABAD: Munir Akram, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, has called the veto-wielding governments responsible for the UN Security Council’s (UNSC) inability to bring peace in Ukraine and Gaza.
Speaking to Geo News on Monday, Akram stated that there are both benefits and drawbacks to permanent UNSC membership, since permanent members have the ability to paralyze the Security Council with their veto.
“We are attempting to limit the veto power of the permanent members,” the Pakistani envoy said, adding that adding new permanent members to the UN Security Council was unnecessary.
The Pakistani ambassador advocated for more non-permanent elected seats on the UN Security body, arguing that the body should have 27 members, the majority of which should be developing countries.
China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States are the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council with veto power. These countries have vetoed resolutions hundreds of times, with Russia doing so 125 times and the United States 82 times.
The UN is expected to vote on the Gaza ceasefire today, with the US signaling its veto.
Meanwhile, diplomats say the UN Security Council is set to vote on Tuesday (today) on an Algerian request for the 15-member council to demand an urgent humanitarian ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict, a move the US has indicated it will veto.
Algeria submitted an initial draft resolution more over two weeks ago. However, US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield soon stated that the language could imperil “sensitive negotiations” aimed at brokering a ceasefire in the war.
Algeria proposed on Saturday that the council vote on Tuesday, officials said. To be adopted, a UN Security Council resolution requires at least nine votes in favor and no vetoes from the United States, Britain, France, China, or Russia.
“The United States does not support the draft resolution. “If it comes up for a vote as written, it will not be adopted,” Thomas-Greenfield said in a statement on Saturday.
