The purpose is to carry these international locations accountable for exercising this special voting power, which permits them to dam any Council decision or resolution.
This proper is enshrined within the UN Charter, the Organization’s founding doc, due to their key roles in establishing the worldwide physique greater than seven a long time in the past.
All 5 have exercised the appropriate of veto at one time or one other, with 44 vetoes alone for the reason that yr 2000.
A brand new instrument
In his opening remarks, General Assembly President Csaba Kőrösi stated “the difficulty of the usage of the veto impacts the entire UN. And the selections taken in these halls – or the shortage of choices – reverberate world-wide,” including that “vetoes ought to all the time stay the final resort.”
He stated this first-ever formal debate on the veto initiative was being held “to determine the perfect methods to take advantage of this new instrument in our huge UN toolbox.”
He urged ambassadors to “ask robust questions” and “search game-changing options”, stressing that “there isn’t a flawed reply, solely new concepts.”
‘Like an oxygen masks’
Mr. Kőrösi additionally expressed hope that Security Council members can unite and work for viable options, going past their rapid pursuits to behave responsibly for the sake of peace the world over.
“That method we are going to by no means need to fall again on the veto decision,” he stated. “Because, for my part, it’s like an oxygen masks in an airplane: good to have, however finest by no means for use.”
The General Assembly President stated he intends to ship the verbatim information of the talk, and all future debates, to the Council President.
“Today’s trade of views can’t be only a professional forma occasion, or a mere administrative process,” he stated.
“This is a chance to chart new avenues for multilateralism and cooperation. An alternative to rebuild belief each inside our establishment and in it. An alternative to do higher for the eight billion who rely on us.”