Empower the UN, do away with veto

Context: The complete obstruction of the UN or its negation (WHO), at the behest of the P5 through its veto has necessitated immediate UNSC reforms in the wake of pandemic.

Challenges in the United Nations Security Council:

• Undemocratic UN Charter: Special role vested in the P5 led to the concentration of power and neglect of regional situations led to its failure to handle complex emergencies like in Congo and Sudan
• Hostage to personal antagonism: between the P5 nation

• Discussion on pandemic was not permitted in the recently held UNSC by the US and China.
• China and Russia blocked the opening up of humanitarian access to the beleaguered citizens in Syria in December 2019.

• Failed as a Peacekeeper:

• Collapse of military observer mission due to violence.
• Multifaceted security situations and human suffering was not wished away (deaths and displacement of millions of people in Syria.)

• Negative affect on other multilateral institutions: 

• Loss in WHO’s credibility: due to US’s announcement of support withdrawal resulting into ‘’incohenrece in global response” in handling the pandemic.
• Members of the UN family like WHO, UNDP, UNHCR were well effective before the UN missions but are now overpowered by the debilitating malaise orchestrated by the P5.

• Anachronistic veto privilege:  With US’s withdrawal from world fora and China’s obsession with the capture of strategic international space , veto becomes irrelevant.

Way Forward:

• Reform UNSC:

• Increase permanent members.
• Issues to be decided with two-third majority.
• No veto power to any member.