Ministerial-Level Open Debate on “Practicing Multilateralism, Reforming and Improving Global Governance”
Tomorrow (18 February), the Security Council will hold a ministerial-level open debate on “Practicing Multilateralism, Reforming and Improving Global Governance” under the “Maintenance of international peace and security” agenda item. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is expected to chair the meeting, which is the signature event of China’s Council presidency. UN Secretary-General António Guterres is expected to brief. No outcome is planned.
Over the past decade, several Council members (including China) have chosen to convene signature events during their presidencies that focus on multilateralism or related topics. These include, for example, meetings on:
- “Reflect[ing] on history [and] reaffirm[ing] the strong commitment to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the UN”, held by China on 23 February 2015;
- “Strengthening multilateralism and the role of the United Nations”, convened by China on 9 November 2018;
- “Upholding the UN Charter”, initiated by Viet Nam and held on 9 January 2020;
- “Upholding multilateralism and the UN-centred international system”, convened by China on 7 May 2021;
- “New orientation for reformed multilateralism”, convened by India on 14 December 2022;
- “Effective multilateralism through the defence of the principles of the UN Charter”, convened by Russia on 24 April 2023; and
- “Multilateral cooperation in the interest of a more just, democratic and sustainable world order”, held by Russia on 16 July 2024.
China has circulated a concept note in preparation for tomorrow’s meeting that describes the dire international peace and security environment. It observes that the number of conflicts in the world is unprecedented, involving nearly 100 countries and displacing more than 95 million people. It also highlights the role of emerging technologies in redefining the nature of conflict. Given such challenges, the concept note argues that the international community should “draw inspiration and lessons from the United Nation’s journey in the past 80 years, uphold multilateralism, settle disputes by peaceful means, and work together to reform and improve global governance”. It adds that the Pact for the Future, adopted by UN member states in September 2024, presents several “ambitious actions and initiatives to revitalize multilateralism and reform global governance”.
The concept note poses several questions to guide tomorrow’s discussion, including:
- What can be done to deliver on the Pact for the Future to help reform and improve the global governance system?
- What can be done to enhance the unity of the Security Council to help it better fulfil its primary responsibility to maintain international peace and security?
- What measures can be taken to uphold the authority of international law and ensure its equal and uniform application?
- How can the international community help developing countries narrow the development divide, especially the digital divide, and realise common development and lasting peace?
Tomorrow’s meeting comes at a time of significant geo-political tension among the major powers, and it follows the recent return to the US presidency of Donald Trump, who holds a sceptical view of multilateral cooperation. Since assuming office on 20 January, Trump has already announced the withdrawal of the US from the World Health Organization and the Paris Agreement.
Contrasting views regarding the nature of the multilateral system, how it functions, and which countries adhere to the values of the UN Charter are likely to be expressed during the open debate. In this regard, China and Russia have maintained that the “rules-based international order” to which Western countries refer is a façade for the selfish pursuit of their strategic interests. They maintain that the US and other Western states adhere to international law only when it is convenient and beneficial for them to do so. On the other hand, many member states continue to see Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine and the ongoing conflict there as a violation of a core tenet of the UN Charter, namely the prohibition of the use of force against the territorial integrity of states, as outlined in Article 2 (4). These views are likely may to be reiterated in tomorrow’s meeting.
Different views on the use of sanctions may also be reflected in the meeting. Several countries maintain that UN arms embargoes and targeted sanctions, such as assets freezes and travel bans, are vital tools in mitigating armed conflict and supporting the implementation of peace agreements. While China, Russia, and the Council’s African members recognise that sanctions can be a useful Council tool, they sometimes argue that sanctions are employed in an unconstructive manner and that they are insufficiently adjusted to account for progress on the ground. Furthermore, China and Russia have been highly critical of the use of national sanctions—that is, economic measures imposed by one state or group of states to compel a policy change in another state.
Tomorrow, several speakers may acknowledge the need to build trust and cooperation among member states, including the major powers, as an important condition for creating a more peaceful international system. There may be calls, especially from some Global South countries, for reform of the international financial architecture to make the multilateral system more equitable and just. In addition, several participants may urge member states to fulfil the promise of the Pact for the Future, a document designed to adapt international cooperation and institutions to today’s realities and the challenges of the future.
