Kuwait calls for permanent Arab representation in UN Security Council

Kuwait's UN permanent representative Ambassador Mansour Al-Otaibi

Kuwait's UN permanent representative Ambassador Mansour Al-Otaibi affirmed that the Arab League was demanding a permanent Arab representation in the Security Council. This came in Al-Otaibi's speech on behalf of the Arab Group before the UN General Assembly during the discussion of the "Question of equitable representation on and increase in the membership of the Security Council." Al-Otaibi said that the UN's three major bodies need real and comprehensive reforms, especially in light of the current difficult situation the world is going through due to the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic. This matter was stated in the declaration of the General Assembly on the UN 75th anniversary and the report of the UN Secretary-General (The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action), he added. He also stressed that the Arab Group reiterates that the governmental negotiations within the framework of the General Assembly are the only forum to reach an agreement on expanding and reforming the Security Council in accordance with General Assembly resolution 557/62. Moreover, he noted that the main objective of the reform and expansion of the Security Council is to ensure that all geographical and regional groups are fairly and appropriately represented in the membership of the expanded council. Al-Otaibi stressed that the Arab group, in light of its political, cultural and heritage specificity, deserves, as a separate group, to be represented in the expanded Security Council. He stated that the Arab Group represents more than 400 million people and includes 22 countries in its membership, representing about 12 percent of the general membership of the UN. Most of the council's agenda include topics related to the Arab region, which calls for a fair and proportionate Arab representation in the expanded Security Council. Al-Otaibi said that the Arab Group would continue consultations with all other negotiating groups with the aim of reaching a real and comprehensive reform of the Security Council.