Kuwait: Fair Representation of Member States is Key to UN Security Council Reform

Kuwait has affirmed the importance of moving forward with reforms to the United Nations Security Council, in order to enhance the fair representation of member states, address historical imbalances in its composition, and make it more representative, effective, and capable of safeguarding 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, during his intervention on Tuesday evening in his capacity as one of the co-facilitators of the intergovernmental negotiations on Security Council reform. The remarks were delivered at the 14th ministerial meeting of the African Union’s Committee of Ten on Security Council Reform, held in the Libyan capital, Tripoli.

Al-Banna stressed the necessity of addressing the historical injustice suffered by Africa due to its absence from the permanent membership category and its underrepresentation in the non-permanent membership category. He emphasized that the Council’s composition must reflect 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, as well as five non-permanent seats.

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

He pointed to the concept of fixed regional seats as a potential compromise formula, involving the addition of six to seven regionally distributed seats. These seats would be filled by countries elected by the General Assembly 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 accountability through periodic elections.

He added that these seats would enjoy the same powers as current permanent members, including the veto, with the total number of Council members ranging between 21 and 22, subject to a mechanism for periodic review.