New UN reform forum to launch in New York
The inaugural meeting of a new forum, the Partnership for Multilateralism (P4M), is set to be held at UN headquarters in New York, an initiative launched with a focus on reforming the United Nations and strengthening collective cooperation mechanisms amid global disputes.
According to a report by The Hindu, Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar will attend the meeting. The event will be held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, and a joint press conference by the founders and members is also planned afterward.
Leaders from the European Union, Brazil, Canada and Kenya have called in a joint message for a review of the UN’s structure. They said the world is facing challenges such as digital transformation, climate change, health security, artificial intelligence and regional crises, and that existing UN structures are not adequate to respond to these developments.
The founders of the initiative say P4M is intended to act as a “third way” amid great-power rivalry and to give greater prominence to the role of non-superpower countries in global decision-making. The initiative has emerged in response to criticism of great-power unilateralism and the inefficiency of international institutions in managing recent crises.
According to The Hindu, India sees its participation in the meeting as part of its efforts to support multilateralism and reform international institutions. Jaishankar is also expected to use other events during the General Assembly week to set out New Delhi’s view on the need to reshape global structures.
The joint note from the leaders of the four countries also referred to remarks by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who said that “superpowers are discovering their limitations” and that the international community must redefine collective action.
It is not yet clear whether India played any role in drafting the initial joint message; however, its presence could signal New Delhi’s desire to take a more active role in new multilateral frameworks. The P4M meeting comes as the UN General Assembly in New York each year hosts diplomatic consultations on the world’s most pressing challenges.
