United Nations, Security Council Reform: Plan A or Plan B??

The United Nations summit in New York, this September, faces a difficult choice A or B?

In his recent report, In Larger Freedom, Kofi Annan, secretary-General of the UN outlined two proposals for reform of the Security Council.

Model A provides for six new permanent seats, with no veto being created, and three new two-year term non-permanent seats, divided among the major regional areas.

Under Model A Europe will get another permanent seat, but who will get it? It will be hotly contested between Germany, Italy and Spain. Europe will also get 2 non-renewable 2 year seats. These will pass among the European Members of the UN.

Under Model A Africa will get 2 new permanent seats, but who will get these? Nigeria and South Africa and hotly tipped for them but there could be other challengers. Africa will also get 4 non- renewable 2 year seats.

Asian-Pacific Region will also get 2 new permanent seats and there will be plenty of competition between Australia, Japan, India, Pakistan and others for them. The Asian-Pacific region will get 4 non-renewable 2 year seats.

The Americas will get 1 new permanent seat which will be contested by Brazil, Argentina, Canada, Mexico and other countries. The Americas will also get 4 non-renewable 2 year seats.

For this model Germany, Japan, Brazil and India have pledged to vote for each other in getting the new permament seats on the council.

Model B provides for no new permanent seats but creates a new category of eight four-year renewable-term seats and one new two-year non-permanent (and non-renewable) seat, divided among the major regional areas.

Under Model B Europe will get 2 new renewable 4 year seats and 1 non-renewable 2 year seat.

Africa will get 2 renewable 4 year seats and 4 non-renewable seats.

The Asian-Pacific Region will get 2 renewable 4 seats year and 3 non-renewable 2 year seats.

The Americas will get 2 renewable 4 year seats and 3 non-renewable 2 year seats.

Under both models each region; Africa, Americas, Asian-Pacific and Europe will each have 6 seats representing their views on the Security Council. Of course their is no change recommended in the number of veto holding members.

Security Council reform is not the only thing outlined in the report. Change is advocated in most of the organs of the UN from the General Assembly to the Trusteeship Council, which is hoped to be implemented as a Human Rights Council.

For more inforamtion on the UN please visit http://www.un.org