‘Absurd’: Elon Musk on India not having permanent seat in UNSC
“Problem is that those with excess power don’t want to give it up,” Elon Musk, the world's richest billionaire said.
Elon Musk, the world's richest person, recently pitched for India to secure a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), the United Nations' primary international affairs body.
“India not having a permanent seat on the Security Council, despite being the most populous country on Earth, is absurd,” the Tesla chief said in an X post on Sunday.
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India, a strong candidate for permanent UNSC membership, has voiced discontent with the lack of progress in discussions on Security Council reform. Currently, the UNSC consists of five permanent members and ten non-permanent members, elected for two-year terms by the UN General Assembly.
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The five permanent members—Russia, the UK, China, France, and the United States—hold veto power over any substantial resolution
“The problem is that those with excess power don’t want to give it up,” Elon Musk said.
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UN secretary-general pitches for reform
António Guterres, the UN secretary-general, recently advocated for reforms in UN institutions. “Institutions must reflect today’s world, not that of 80 years ago. September’s Summit of the Future will be an opportunity to consider global governance reforms & rebuild trust,” he posted on X, asking why Africa still lacks a permanent membership.
To this, Michael Eisenberg, a venture capitalist, replied, “And what about India? Better yet is to dismantle the United Nations and build something new with real leadership.” Musk's response came in reply to this post.
Elon Musk added that Africa collectively should also have a permanent seat.
UN's Summit of the Future
The United Nations General Assembly has scheduled the Summit of the Future, titled "Summit of the Future: Multilateral Solutions for a Better Tomorrow," to take place on September 22-23.
The summit's key goals, as outlined in the summit papers, involve adopting an action-oriented Outcome Document referred to as the Pact for the Future.
Additionally, there is a possibility of establishing a UN Special Envoy for Future Generations, along with potential discussions on other institutional reforms and initiatives.
