Kuwait calls for permanent Arab seat at UNSC

Kuwait’s Ambassador to the UN 29 has called for a permanent Arab seat with full powers at the UN Security Council should the body expand, Quds Press reported yesterday.

Al-Otaibi’s remarks came during his address of the 75th session of the UN General Assembly for intergovernmental negotiations, on the issue of “fair representation in the Security Council and increasing the number of its members and related issues.”

The Kuwaiti official said his call was “based on objective criteria represented by the Arab population density and the number of Arab countries in the United Nations.”

He also said that his call stems from “the fact that a large part of the Council’s work and issues on its agenda relate to the Arabic region, which requires fair and proportionate Arab representation in the expanded council.”

At the same time, Al-Otaibi stressed on the importance of carrying out “real and comprehensive” reforms of the Security Council, especially as it is the main body entrusted with maintaining international peace and security under the United Nations Charter.

The reforms would make it, the Kuwaiti official stressed, “more capable and effective” to face and overcome the relevant challenges within a “more representative, transparent, neutral and credible framework.”

The purpose of reforming the UN Security Council, the official said, is to ensure that all geographical and regional groups are represented fairly and appropriately.

For decades, there have been calls for reforms of the UN and its Security Council in relation to its membership and the powers of its members. There are currently only five permanent UNSC members – each with the power of veto – they are: China, France, Russia, the UK and the US.

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