Statement by the Republic of Latvia - Informal meeting of the General Assembly Plenary on the Intergovernmental Negotiations on the Question of Equitable Representation on and Increase in the Membership of the Security Council and other matters related to the Council
New York, 18 March 2024
Distinguished Co-Chairs,
Distinguished Delegates,
At the outset, we want to express our appreciation once again to the Permanent Representatives of Austria and Kuwait for spearheading the Intergovernmental Negotiations on Security Council reform. The ongoing discussion further underscores your dedication to advancing these negotiations. Rest assured of our ongoing commitment and support.
Turning to today’s session, we are thankful for the comprehensive presentation made by distinguished Ambassador of Italy on behalf of the Uniting for Consensus. We would like to make further comments on the number of proposed elements, commencing with reiteration of the core elements of our position.
Latvia supports the increase of the membership of the Security Council in both elected and permanent categories, and advocates for equitable regional representation of African, Latin American and Small Island Developing States. In the context of enlargement, there should be an additional elected seat allocated for the Eastern European Group.
Turning to the proposal by the Uniting for Consensus, we would like to make following 2 points:
Firstly, as emphasized by the majority of member states during the past IGN debates, there is a pressing need for the Security Council to be more inclusive and representative. The reform has to rectify the past injustices and enable the Security Council to effectively address the current challenges. While we positively note the attention to equitable geographical distribution in the proposed model, we remain concerned that the enlargement only in one - elected category, would not reach the desired goal.
Secondly, we agree with the need to strengthen the relationship between the Security Council and the General Assembly. Latvia welcomes the proposed measures, particularly the focus on increased transparency and timely distribution of documents. Likewise, we find that it would be beneficial if Security Council would hold a regular consultation with the President of the General Assembly.
Distinguished Co-Chairs,
It is our strong belief that transparency and accountability must be the cornerstone of this reform. The decision-making processes of the Security Council should be open, accessible, and comprehensible to all member states. The work of the Council should reinforce the principles of fairness and justice upon which the United Nations was founded.
As an ACT member and a candidate for the seat on the Security Council in 2026-2027, Latvia reaffirms its commitment to advancement of these principles.
We are ready to engage in further discussions and hope they will bring us a step closer to finding the common ground and towards the text-based negotiations.
I thank you!