Aleksey Pushkov, who chairs the Federation Council’s commission on information policy and media interaction, argues that there is still no clear principle guiding reform of the UN Security Council. He notes that any broadening of representation to include the Global South would trigger substantial changes across the entire body. This view was shared in his recent Telegram posting.
Echoing the ambitions of the Global South, the push for Security Council reform should not stop with a single permanent seat for Africa. The parliamentarian writes that such a reform could alter the entire architecture of the council, because India, Brazil, Japan, and other nations are likely to press for greater inclusion in the council’s membership.
From Pushkov’s perspective, the question of how Africa should be represented remains unsettled: should it be as a single state or through a rotating or alternate mechanism? He recalls that the UN system was established after World War II, with the Security Council formed by the victors. He maintains that a single, universally accepted guiding principle has not yet been resolved.
Earlier reports indicated that the BRICS group Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa favors reforming the United Nations and expanding the voice of developing nations within the Security Council. This stance was articulated in a declaration issued after the Johannesburg summit in South Africa.
Meanwhile, Annalena Baerbock, who previously led Germany’s foreign ministry, has stated that both the UN Security Council and the International Criminal Court require reform. Her comments underscore a broader conviction within European diplomacy that evolving global realities demand updated international governance structures.
In addition, India has repeatedly signaled the necessity for reform across international organizations to better reflect contemporary geopolitical and economic realities. This ongoing dialogue highlights a growing consensus that the current configuration of international institutions may not fully align with today’s distribution of power and influence.
Cited: BRICS declaration following the Johannesburg summit; statements from European and regional policymakers who emphasize reform as a path to greater legitimacy and effectiveness for global governance.