Brasília – Brazil took over on Sunday (1) the presidency of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for a one-month term. Chief among the topics to be defended by the country is the importance of bilateral, regional and multilateral institutions to prevent, resolve and mediate conflicts. Brazil’s Foreign Affairs Minister Mauro Vieira will chair a session on the subject on October 20.
“This month we’re going to bring up the idea that the Security Council should address more extensively the instruments that UN, the countries, and regional organizations have in preventing conflicts rather than just dealing with them after they arise, in a bid to step up bilateral, regional and multilateral diplomacy to stop conflicts from breaking out,” explained the Secretary for Multilateral and Political Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Relations, Ambassador Carlos Márcio Cozendey, in an interview last Friday (29).
Other issues, the diplomat went on to say, will be addressed over the course of the month during Brazil’s term as president of the Security Council: the potential mission to support the security forces in Haiti, the maintenance of the UN mission overseeing peace negotiations in Colombia, and issues regarding the war between Ukraine and Russia.
Reform
Established after the Second World War in 1948 to ensure the preservation of international peace and security, the UN Security Council has five permanent members—China, the US, France, the UK, and Russia—plus 10 non-permanent members with two-year terms each. The rotating seats are currently held by Brazil, Albania, Ecuador, the United Arab Emirates, Gabon, Ghana, Japan, Malta, Mozambique, and Switzerland. Their mandate runs until December.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has advocated for an overhaul in global governance institutions and is demanding a permanent seat on the Security Council for Brazil, as well as for South Africa, and India. He believes more diverse international bodies could, for instance, inflict punishments on nations that fail to meet their climate commitments and boost the fight against inequalities across the world.
Agenda
In addition to the session on the 20th, Minister Mauro Vieira will preside over other events across the month of October. The 24th will see an open debate on the Middle East that’s held every quarter to address the question of Palestine and other subjects, too. The 25th will see the holding of an open debate on “Women, peace and security.”
Another event to be held over the course of Brazil’s term as president will be an annual dialogue between the UN Security Council and the Peace & Security Council of the African Union (AU) at the AU headquarters in Adis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Translated by Guilherme Miranda