Kuwait Calls for UN Security Council Reform and Enhanced Fair Representation

Kuwait has affirmed the importance of moving forward with reforms to the United Nations Security Council to enhance the fair representation of member states, address historical imbalances in its composition, and make it more representative, effective, and capable of fulfilling its responsibilities in maintaining international peace and security.

In a statement, Kuwait’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations noted that this position was articulated by Kuwait’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Tariq Al-Banna, in his capacity as one of the Co-Chairs of the Intergovernmental Negotiations on Security Council reform, during the 14th Ministerial Meeting of the African Union’s Committee of Ten on Security Council Reform, held in the Libyan capital, Tripoli.

The meeting was held on Monday, co-hosted by the Republic of Sierra Leone, as Coordinator of the Committee of Ten, and by Libya as the host country. It was attended by the Co-Chair of the Intergovernmental Negotiations, the Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the UN, Ambassador Liesje Schrijver van Haaren.

Al-Banna emphasized the necessity of addressing the historical injustice suffered by the African continent due to its lack of representation in the permanent membership category of the Security Council and its underrepresentation in the non-permanent category. He highlighted the importance of the Council’s composition reflecting contemporary geopolitical realities and the aspirations of member states.

He welcomed the African model presented by Sierra Leone during the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, based on the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration, which calls for granting Africa at least two permanent seats with all the powers of permanent membership, along with a total of five non-permanent seats.

He clarified that the African position opposes the use of the veto in principle, but calls for new permanent members to be granted the same rights and privileges as current permanent members if the veto power is retained. He also pointed to the role of the African Union in selecting the continent’s representatives for election by the General Assembly.

Al-Banna added that the concept of fixed regional seats has emerged as a potential compromise formula between states seeking to expand permanent membership and those favoring limiting expansion to non-permanent seats.

He noted that this formula involves adding between six and seven seats distributed on a regional basis, such that the General Assembly would elect countries to occupy these seats for terms longer than the current two-year period, with the possibility of renewal and re-election for two additional terms, thereby enhancing institutional continuity and maintaining accountability through periodic elections.