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South Africa, Brazil, India, Germany and others have been pushing for reform of the United Nations (UN) Security Council that would realise their ambitions to secure permanent seats on the Security Council. But at the end of 2011, 20 years since the reform momentum began, the process is stalled.
For the reasons set out in this policy brief, it seems unlikely that these ambitions can be realised. But reform of the Security Council is essential if international institutions are to be rescued from atrophy, and if conflicts are to be prevented and managed more effectively so that ordinary people in conflict situations can confidently look to collective international action to rescue them from death or suffering.
A number of ideas are set out in this policy brief that may encourage policymakers to believe that compromise is better than the status quo and that a much more equitable and effective Security Council can be generated – even if it is not the preferred model for some of the emerging powers who are aspirants to permanent membership status.
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