Brazil misses an opportunity at UN Security Council meeting

Foreign Minister Carlos França addresses the UN Security Council. Photo: UN/YT

While addressing the UN Security Council on Thursday, Brazilian Foreign Minister Carlos França did not bring up calls for reforming the UN’s top body, a decades-long goal of Brazilian diplomacy. He failed to take a cue from U.S. President Joe Biden, who yesterday supported the idea of expanding the number of permanent seats on the council by bringing in nations from Africa and Latin America.

The opportunity was not missed by Marcelo Luis Ebrard Casaubón, Mexico’s foreign minister, however. “The Security Council has not been able to fulfill its responsibilities […] The time is ripe to seriously raise structural reforms which are required for this purpose.”

Brazil and Mexico currently occupy the Security Council’s only two rotating seats reserved for Latin America.

Ambassador George Orina, speaking for the delegation of Kenya, specifically cited Mr. Biden’s Wednesday remarks: “We welcome President Joe Biden’s announcement calling for the permanent and non-permanent membership of the council to be expanded.”

Mr. França, however, focused on calling for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine and a peaceful solution to the conflict.

Brazil’s Foreign Affairs Ministry did not immediately reply to The Brazilian Report on why Mr. França did not address the topic of Security Council reform in his remarks.