Ethiopian Foreign Minister Calls for Urgent UNSC Reform at UNGA78 Meeting

Ethiopian Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonnen has called for a fair representation of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), stating that UNSC reform is long overdue. This call to action was made during an informal consultative meeting organized by H.E. Olaf Scholz, Chancellor of Germany, on the sidelines of the 78th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA78) in New York.

The meeting served as a platform for exchanging views on current global development issues and UN reform, primarily involving non-permanent members of the UNSC from Africa and a select group of countries with a vested interest in the reform of the UN and international financial institutions.

Minister Demeke underscored that Ethiopia’s stance aligns with the African common position on the issue, emphasizing that it is in the global interest to ensure that the UNSC becomes fairer and more representative.

He further highlighted the critical need for reform in international financial institutions, particularly in addressing the substantial unmet demand for development finance caused by the unresponsiveness of the existing system.

The Ethiopian Envoy stressed the urgency of these reforms to mobilize the necessary financial resources for development while also commending Chancellor Olaf Scholz for his initiative and the strong friendship between Germany and Ethiopia, as evidenced by the Chancellor’s recent visit to Ethiopia.

Leaders from other nations, including the Presidents of Congo, Mauritania, and Comoros, echoed the sentiment that reform of the UNSC is long overdue and expressed their respective positions on the matter.