Demands grow louder for more permanent members of UN Security Council
May 8, 2021, 9:29 am

Demands grow louder for more permanent members of UN Security Council

Today, the UN has 193 member states, nearly a fourfold increase from 1945,” said Harsh Vardhan Shringla, a top Indian diplomat, who added that the issue had become a threat to the UN’s credibility. (File photo)

Non-permanent members of the UN Security Council on Friday called for the number of permanent seats to be expanded, saying the current limit of five was outdated and undermined the organization.

During a ministerial session organized by China, permanent members Washington, Beijing, London, and Moscow made no mention of the issue, which has been at the center of debate in the General Assembly, with no sign of a breakthrough.

Volkan Bozkir, the Turkish president of the General Assembly, said that in many disputes in the Security Council “the reason for failure is the differences between its members -- in particular, its permanent members.”

He said reforming the body was in the interest both of member states and of the UN itself.

India -- a potential candidate for a permanent seat -- Vietnam, Niger, Ireland, Tunisia, and Mexico call an expansion of the permanent members indispensable.

“Today, the UN has 193 member states, nearly a fourfold increase from 1945,” said Harsh Vardhan Shringla, a top Indian diplomat, who added that the issue had become a threat to the UN’s credibility.

“How can we explain the contradiction of Africa not being represented in the Security Council in the permanent category, even though African issues dominate its agenda?” he asked.

All the countries that spoke up on Friday in favor of reform are non-permanent members, a position that is held for two years at a time.

France, the fifth permanent member, reiterated its support for enlargement but stressed its own proposal to prohibit the use of veto power for permanent members in the case of mass atrocities, an idea that it said had the support of 105 member states.

source: AFP

Levant

India reports over 4,000 COVID-19 deaths in 24 hours for first time ever Bezos sells $2.4 bln of Amazon stock, bringing weekly shares sold to about $5 bln

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”