General Assembly meeting raises question on use of Security Council veto

United Nations

Sphinx News: Ahmed Ali

In its annual planetary meeting on, “use of the veto”, member states and the President of the General Assembly (PGA), Annalena Baerbock, convened to discuss the need for reforms in the Security Council’s existing veto structure.

Extended to the five permanent members of the Security Council (the United States, China, Russia, France, and the United Kingdom), the veto power allows each permeant member the ability to block any Security Council Resolution.

The use of veto power by even one permanent member, sees the non adoption of a Security Council resolution, no matter how many members of the Council may have voted in favor.

Used by permanent members since the organizations founding in 1945, Baerbock recalls that the veto power has many times left the Council, “unable to deliver on its most important mandate” of maintaining international peace and security.

In a recent case on September 18th of this year, the United States used its veto power to block a UN Security Council Resolution on the situation in Gaza. The Resolution was overwhelmingly supported by all the other 14 members of the council, and if adopted, would have legally bounded and further pressured the Israeli state to cease hostilities and allow humanitarian aid to Palestinians in the enclave.

Nonetheless, in her address today, Baerbock recalled the formal steps taken by the Assembly in its adoption of the, “veto initiative.” Adopted by the Assembly as Resolution 76/262 on April 26th, 2022, the ‘veto initiative’, states that if a permanent member of the Security Council uses their veto power, they have 10 days since the use of that veto to address the General Assembly (GA). This initaive urges permeant member states that use the veto to explain their veto decision before the GA (General Assembly). This would effectively pave way for a more deliberative forum, where member states can debate and contest the state in questions decision to exercise the veto.

Contending that the decision to implement the veto initiate in 2022 was an important step in the right direction to foster a more representative and multilateral institution, Baerbock retorts that the initiative is not enough. The President of the GA instead urges member states to build on this momentum, saying today that the ‘use of the veto’ debate in this meeting should further tackle the question, “How can the General Assembly build on the Veto Initiative with further measures to uphold peace and security?” 

Building on the initiative she adds can, “demonstrate to the wider world that the UN – even when facing a blockage in the Council – hears the desperate voices of those affected by these conflicts and is able to act.”

Other member states within the GA, echoed Baerbock’s concern. In his statement on behalf of the United Arab Emirates, representative Mr. Mohamed Al-Ali stated, “Regrettably, the use of the veto has hampered the Security Council in fulfilling its mandate and eroded the credibility of the United Nations with the publics that we are here to serve.” Al-Ali then reaffirms the UAE’s call for the following implementations to be put in place: “a veto should not be used: where a demonstrable overwhelming majority of its members are in favor of Council action on a particular point, where the Secretary-General has invoked Article 99, or where the use of that veto would undermine international law.”

Additionally, Saudi Arabia and its representative similarly stated, “We also reiterate that the veto power is an integral and consistent part of the Security Council’s structure and that its use must be responsible, away from any conduct that could undermine the Council’s ability to fulfill its primary responsibility of maintaining international peace and security.”

Despite the Assembly’s support for amendments to the veto, its change are not straightforward. Made clear today by Spokesperson for the PGA, Monica Villela Grayley. In her remakes to members of the press this early afternoon, Grayley stated, “the are processes for changing the way the Security Council works, and that sees the agreement of all (five) countries that currently have the veto.”