UNSC reforms

Meeting would discuss, scrutinise the veto and demand an explanation for why it was cast

The UN General Assembly has agreed to a much-needed reform — requiring all of the five permanent members of the Security Council to defend any vetos. After a consensus vote on Tuesday, the General Assembly must now automatically meet within 10 days of any veto being cast by a Security Council member. Pakistan backed the move, noting that it would “bring greater responsibility in the conduct” of the big five.

The meeting would be able to discuss and scrutinise the veto and, at least in theory, demand an explanation for why it was cast. This is a massive change that would put the UN envoys of the US, Russia, China, UK and France in the hot seat over their regular abuses of veto power. Realistically though, it is all about the first three — France and the UK have not vetoed a resolution since joining the US in a 1989 vote. Even that was in defence of the illegal US invasion and ensuing atrocities in Panama. Both countries’ last unilateral vetos came in the 1970s in defence of their respective colonial oppression of African peoples. Incidentally, both joined the US in 1977 to block sanctions against the apartheid regime in South Africa.

Meanwhile, the US, Russia and China have consistently been vetoing resolutions in defence of wars and alleged rights violations by their own countries or their allies. As for the US, 25 of its last 30 vetos have been defending Israeli atrocities in Palestine, three in defence of its own illegal wars and two in support of devastating proxy wars in Angola and modern-day Zimbabwe. Incidentally, in 1977, all three western powers vetoed to block sanctions against the apartheid regime in South Africa. Almost all of China and Russia’s recent vetos have to do with Syria, where Russia has been accused of direct and indirect involvement in several war crimes. The others since 1990 have been to ‘protect’ the illegal or inhumane conduct of countries that are in their respective spheres of influence. While it may not do much to stop veto abuse, at least the big five will now have to embarrass themselves by admitting their hypocrisy and lack of respect for international law.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 1st, 2022.

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