Cuba defends the UN Security Council expansion

United Nations, Nov 17 (RHC) Cuba's First Deputy Foreign Minister Gerardo Peñalver defended Thursday the expansion of the United Nations Security Council to rectify the insufficient representation of developing countries.

Speaking at a session of the UN General Assembly, the official remarked that such an increase should include new permanent members, especially from regions such as Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean, which are not present in the category.

According to Cubaminrex,  the diplomat also pointed out the importance of increasing the number of members in the non-permanent category.

Peñalver also took the opportunity to reiterate that the Council's interference in matters outside its competence must cease, particularly in those issues concerning the mandate of the General Assembly.

He also reiterated Cuba's position in favor of a more efficient, democratic, transparent, and representative Council. Currently, this UN structure has 15 members, five permanent: China, the United States, Russia, France, and the United Kingdom, and 10 that vary.

Last June, the island's permanent representative to the United Nations, Pedro Luis Pedroso, rejected the selective manipulation of the methods and practices of the Security Council and its use as a tool to exert pressure against sovereign states.

The organization should represent the interests of all to preserve multilateralism, the ambassador insisted.

Most UN member countries agree that the composition of the body responsible for ensuring international peace and security is not representative and does not reflect the changing global reality.

The reform of the Security Council has been pending for a long time since talks on the subject began 20 years ago (Source: Prensa Latina).