Lavrov backs India’s permanent seat at UNSC, hails role of SCO and BRICS in Global South, East

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Saturday (Sep 27) backed the application of India and Brazil for permanent seats at the United Nations Security Council in his speech at the UN General Assembly in New York. He also stressed the significance of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and BRICS, which comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the UAE and Indonesia, as a mechanism for coordinating the interests of the Global South.

“The issue of Security Council reform is particularly important. Russia calls for its democratisation exclusively through the expansion of the representation of Asia, Africa and Latin America. We support the application of Brazil and India for permanent seats on the Council, while at the same time correcting the historical injustice towards Africa within the parameters that have been agreed by the countries of the continent themselves,” Lavrov said.

Lavrov further asserted that the global balance of power has changed significantly in the 80 years since the UN was founded in 1945. “These new realities are not being adequately reflected in our organisational framework,” he said.

He further added, “The global majority is loudly asserting its rights. The SCO and BRICS play a special role as mechanisms for coordinating the interests of the Global South and East.”

Painting a narrative of ‘Global South awakening,’ Lavrov stressed that countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America demand a more just representation.

“The process of decolonisation and other major upheavals have changed the political map of the planet,” he said. He also proposed declaring a Day of Struggle Against Colonialism on December 14.

The Russian minister noted that Moscow’s push to bring reform to the UNSC is not revolutionary but corrective. “Russia advocates for reforming the UN Security Council but does not campaign for a revolution against anyone,” he said.