Peace and Security as a Catalyst for the Reform of the UN Security Council
Peace and Security as a Catalyst for the Reform of the UN Security Council

Summary/Abstract: The desperate need for the maintenance of world peace and security so as to prevent war, aggression, conflicts and loss of lives as such witnessed during the First and Second World War impelled the formation of the United Nations (“New World Order”). The United Nations member states entrusted the responsibility of ensuring peace and security on the Security Council. The five permanent members of the Council, usually referred to as the “P5” had “Veto Power” and with this power any of them could override any decision of the Council. The use of the veto by members of the P5 is closely inclined, and usually skewed towards their political ideologies, foreign policies and economic interests as have been seen in the days of the Cold War and until present day. In view of these, doubts have been cast and suspicion pervades the activities of the Security Council. This is so because in recent times the indiscriminate use of the Veto has created the semblance of a lock jam, stalemate and failure of the Council to take critical decisions on important issues pertaining to world peace and security. Emerging world powers and developing states are canvassing for the expansion of the number of permanent seats in the Council and the abolition of the veto power. This article analyses the concept of peace and security within the United Nations context, it also examines the use of veto power and the present “paralysis” of the Security Council. The article focuses on inclusiveness and the expansion of the permanent seat of the Security Council to ensure progress, effectiveness and efficiency in combatting threats to world peace and security. The author argues that the present structure and decision making mechanism of the Security Council is discordant with its mandate as envisaged by the founders of the United Nations. Consequent upon the foregoing, there is need to expand the seats of the permanent members of the Council and replace the veto power with some form of unanimity or majority voting system which is more “democratic and peace-embracing”.

• Details
• Contents