In a landmark speech at the United Nations Security Council, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu urged for major reforms to the Council’s structure, including the abolition of the veto power held by its permanent members. This was the first time a Maldivian President addressed the Security Council in the 59 years since the Maldives joined the United Nations.
President Muizzu emphasized the Council’s critical role in maintaining global peace and security but expressed concern over the increasing global distrust in its effectiveness. He noted that the Council’s lack of equal representation, accountability, and transparency has led to widespread disillusionment. To address this, he called for the establishment of a new intergovernmental process with text-based negotiations to push reform forward. He also reiterated the Maldives’ longstanding demand for a permanent rotating seat for Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
Highlighting the ongoing humanitarian crises, President Muizzu spoke of a “genocide unfolding under the nose of a Security Council unwilling to uphold international law.” He criticized the veto power as a significant obstacle to decisive action, specifically condemning its role in preventing the Council from stopping what he described as Israel’s genocidal war in Palestine. He stated that the veto has allowed Israel to continue its occupation with impunity, leading to the massacre of innocent civilians.
To counter this paralysis, President Muizzu proposed the creation of a new mechanism that would enable the international community to provide real-time solutions to emerging crises. He also stressed the need for the Council to address non-traditional security threats, including those related to technological advances, and urged the body to become more adaptable and attuned to the voices of the global population.
Concluding his address, President Muizzu reminded the Council of its foundational principles, stating that the UN was built on a commitment to justice and a world order based on the rule of law. However, he warned that this system is now crumbling under the weight of the civilian, aid worker, UN staff, and journalist casualties in conflict zones. He underscored the urgent need to reform the Security Council to ensure it can effectively respond to contemporary global challenges.
President Muizzu delivered his remarks during the UN Security Council’s High-level Open Debate on “Leadership for Peace: United in Respect of the UN Charter, in Search of a Secure Future” held at the UN Headquarters in New York.
