Paris: France and Spain renewed their calls to restrict the use of veto powers at the UN Security Council, emphasizing that the mechanism has repeatedly obstructed global action in response to humanitarian crises, such as the ongoing situation in Gaza.
According to Anadolu Agency, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot highlighted the need for reform within the council to align with current geopolitical realities and restore legitimacy to its decisions. Barrot emphasized the importance of granting two seats on the permanent Security Council to African nations and including Japan, Germany, and Brazil to enhance decision-making legitimacy. He noted France's longstanding collaboration with Mexico to advocate for an initiative that limits veto rights in cases of atrocities-a proposal now supported by over 20 countries.
The French Minister expressed frustration over the inability to reach a unified commitment on Gaza and underscored the Security Council's moral and political responsibility to uphold international law. Barrot stressed the necessity of reforming the Security Council to unblock decisions impeded by vetoes when fundamental human rights are at stake.
Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares shared Barrot's sentiments, affirming Spain's consistent stance on defending international law and humanitarian principles across various regions, including Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan, and the Sahel. Albares described the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) as vital, noting that the lives of six million Palestinians depend on its services. He called for unobstructed humanitarian assistance to the Gaza Strip and accountability for attacks on aid workers, stressing the binding nature of the International Court of Justice's rulings for all UN member states, including Israel. Albares asserted that Israel should not possess a veto right.
Meanwhile, Mirjana Spoljaric-Egger, president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), warned of the complexities and dangers surrounding the humanitarian operation in Gaza. She emphasized the critical need for the ceasefire to hold, as millions of lives are at risk, and cautioned that the resumption of hostilities would exacerbate the already dire situation. Spoljaric-Egger further warned that disregarding international law in Gaza and Sudan emboldens armed groups and non-state actors, whose influence is amplified by new technologies.