Mr President, honourable Co-Chairs,
I thank the President for convening today’s debate and express our sincere gratitude to Co-Chairs – Permanent Representatives of Denmark and Qatar for leading the Intergovernmental Negotiations on the Security Council reform, and pledge Latvia’s full support to your efforts.
This year we enter the fourteenth year since the Intergovernmental Negotiations were launched in 2009. Regrettably, the negotiations on the Security Council reform has not transformed into the comprehensive political consensus to reform the Security Council. In this context, Latvia would like to reiterate its call to start the text-based negotiations without further delay.
Let us recall that under the United Nations Charter, we – the United Nations Member States – have conferred on the Security Council primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, and in carrying out its duties the Security Council acts on our behalf. Giving this credit to the Security Council, we believe the Security Council would better represent the interests of the United Nations membership by increasing its accountability, legitimacy and transparency.
As a member of Accountability, Coherence and Transparency Group, Latvia is of the view that it is necessary to maximise the UN Security Council’s efficiency, effectiveness, transparency and accountability. At the same time, we believe the Council should enhance its relations with the broader UN membership. We also take this opportunity to encourage those United Nations Member States that have not done so yet, to join the Code of Conduct elaborated by the ACT Group regarding the Security Council action against genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes, as well as the Political Declaration on Suspension of Veto Powers in Cases of Mass Atrocity.
Mr President,
The Security Council plays an indispensable role in maintaining the international peace and security. The expectations of the majority of the United Nations membership to have the Security Council more representative of the twenty-first century are summarized in the UN Secretary-General’s Report on Our Common Agenda.
Latvia continues to advocate for equitable regional representation of African, Latin American and Small Island Developing States in the Council. Likewise, we see a merit in the allocation of additional elected membership to the Eastern European Group.
Furthermore, I would like to mention our neighbouring country Estonia that recently concluded its membership at the Security Council. Being an active member of the Security Council, Estonia has proved that any state, no matter of the size, can have an impact in the Security Council. Latvia is strongly committed to further prove that the Baltic states can influence the processes in the global politics. Therefore, in 2025 Latvia will run for the elections of the non-permanent member of the Security Council which reflects our responsibility to contribute to international peace and security, protect the rules-based international order and advance effective multilateralism.
In conclusion, we confide in the leadership of the Co-Chairs in facilitating substantive results on the reform of the Security Council in a text-based format that would trigger the progress in the negotiations. We believe a consolidated text of positions of the Member States following this session would benefit in taking the next step.
Thank you!