UN Secretary-General António Guterres, during his visit to Indonesia, strongly criticized some permanent members of the UN Security Council for violating international law and engaging in military actions, emphasizing the need for reform of the Security Council.
On October 20, local time, Guterres addressed a foreign policy event in Jakarta, where he pointed out that the current composition of the UN Security Council does not adequately reflect the rapidly changing geopolitical realities.
"Unfortunately, today we are witnessing permanent members of the UN Security Council waging wars while ignoring international law," Guterres said, directly targeting the United States and Russia. He added, "The current structure of the Security Council no longer represents the world effectively," stressing that the UN's ability to maintain international peace and security is becoming limited.
Currently, the five permanent members of the Security Council (the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia, and China) include the US, which is engaged in conflict with Iran, and Russia, which is involved in the war in Ukraine.
Also attending the event, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi remarked, "Multilateralism is not an option but a necessity," highlighting that no major power can address global challenges alone.
Meanwhile, Guterres has been in Indonesia since October 17, meeting with senior government officials, including President Prabowo Subianto, to discuss cooperation between the UN and Indonesia.
Guterres, who successfully secured a second term after taking office in 2017, will see his tenure end on December 31. A closed preliminary vote is currently underway in the Security Council to select the next UN Secretary-General, who will begin a five-year term on January 1, 2027.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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