Bhutan Backs India, Japan Inclusion In UN Council As Permanent Members

Supporting India's bid for permanent membership of the UN Security Council, Bhutan Foreign Minister Tandi Dorji has said that Bhutan continues to believe that in a reformed Council, India and Japan must be included as permanent members as well as members from the African Union.

While addressing the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, he said, "We believe that the UNSC must evolve to stay relevant and effective to address the multifaceted challenges of our times and in this regard, Bhutan supports the expansion of both the permanent and non-permanent categories of the Security Council."

Extending support for India during his UNGA address today, he further added by saying, "We continue to believe that in a reformed Council, India and Japan must be included as permanent members so as members from the African Union..."

The Bhutanese Foreign Minister underscored that effective multilateralism must address the issues faced by less-developed states.

"Effective multilateralism must address the concerns of less powerful nations of the world. The global governance architecture has not delivered the equity and inclusion that is required to ensure that the ideals of the common agenda are carried out. The increasing fragmentation, polarisation, and growing inequity we witness in the world today only serves as an urgent cry for strengthening multilateralism to forge greater political resolve, solidarity and to practice compassion," he said.

Moreover, he also stated that Bhutan has consistently maintained that the reform of the UNSC must progress hand in hand with the reform of the entire UN system.

"The reform must accommodate the interest and concerns of all member states, particularly of those unrepresented and under-represented," the Bhutan Foreign Minister added.

Addressing the 78th United Nations General Assembly in New York, earlier today, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar called on the United Nations to make reforms to stay relevant in the modern world and said that the issue cannot remain "indefinite" and "unchallenged". 

Mr Jaishankar took a jibe at some nations and said, "In our deliberations, we often advocate the promotion of a rules-based order. From time to time, respect for the UN Charter is also involved. But for all the talk, it is still a few nations that shape the agenda and seek to define the norms. This can't go on indefinitely nor will it go unchallenged.  A fair, equitable, and democratic order will surely emerge once we all put our minds to it. And for a start, that means ensuring that rule-makers do not subjugate rule-takers."

Hailing the inclusion of the African Union as a permanent member in the G20 grouping under India's G20 presidency, Mr Jaishankar emphasised that the adoption of reform would make the Security Council relevant to the modern world. 

"It was also noteworthy that at India's initiative, the African Union was a permanent member of the G20. By doing so, we gave voice to an entire continent which has long been its due. This significant step in reform should inspire the United Nations, a much older organisation, to also make the Security Council contemporary. Broad representation is after all, a pre-requisite for both effectiveness and credibility," said Mr Jaishankar.

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