New York [US], September 27 : Bhutan's Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, addressing the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA80) on Friday (local time), advocated for a reformed UN Security Council (UNSC), explicitly naming India and Japan as "deserving nations" for permanent membership to reflect today's global realities.
Addressing the general assembly, Tobgay urged a reinvigorated multilateral system to tackle climate crises, poverty, and conflicts, underscoring Bhutan's commitment to a "representative, responsive, and effective" United Nations, championing a multilateralism that prioritises results over mere resolutions.
"Bhutan supports reform of the United Nations, including reform of the Security Council, expanding both permanent and non-permanent membership. A reformed Security Council must include deserving nations such as India and Japan alongside other capable and leading countries to reflect today's complex realities," he declared, aligning with India's long-standing bid for a permanent UNSC seat.
Tobgay's endorsement of India, a key regional partner, comes amid growing momentum for UNSC reform, echoed by the BRICS Foreign Ministers' meeting chaired by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, which backed India and Brazil's aspirations for a greater UN role.
Highlighting global challenges, Tobgay painted a stark picture: "A planet in a climate crisis, persistent poverty, and conflicts that shatter lives and erode trust among our nations."
He rallied behind UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' UN80 initiative, urging a "renewed purpose" to bolster the UN's capacity for decisive action on peace, sustainable development, and climate action.
"The Secretary General's UN80 initiative calls on us to respond with renewed purpose. Renewed purpose to strengthen the UN's capacity to act decisively on peace, sustainable development and climate action. Renewed purpose to restore its moral authority. Renewed purpose to make it fit for the purpose of our collective future," the Bhutanese PM said, emphasising the country's role as an "active partner" in this journey.
Looking to the UN's centennial, Tobgay envisioned a world where "peace is the norm, where climate is stable, and where every child, no matter where they are born, has the opportunity to grow as productive members of our global community."
Earlier, at the BRICS Ministers of Foreign Affairs meeting held on the margins of the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA80), the ministers reiterated support for the 2023 Johannesburg-II Leaders' Declaration on UNSC reforms, advocating a comprehensive overhaul to make the Council "more democratic, representative, effective and efficient".
They explicitly backed "the aspirations of Brazil and India to play a greater role in the United Nations, including its Security Council," bolstering New Delhi's long-standing bid for a permanent seat.
"Recalling the 2022 Beijing and 2023 Johannesburg II Leaders' Declarations, China and Russia, as permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, reiterated their support to the aspirations of Brazil and India to play a greater role in the United Nations, including its Security Council," the statement read.
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