In a rare twist, tech billionaire Elon Musk voiced his astonishment and disappointment on January 21 regarding India’s exclusion from the list of permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). Utilising his social media platform X (formerly Twitter), the Tesla chief conveyed his incredulity, stating, “India not having a permanent seat on the Security Council, despite being the most populous country on Earth, is absurd.”
Musk advocated for a reevaluation of the composition of UN entities in a tweet on January 21. Here’s what he posted:
At some point, there needs to be a revision of the UN bodies.
Problem is that those with excess power don’t want to give it up.
India not having a permanent seat on the Security Council, despite being the most populous country on Earth, is absurd.
Africa collectively should…
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 21, 2024
The entrepreneur’s comments came in the wake of remarks by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who raised concerns about the conspicuous absence of any African nation among the UNSC’s permanent members. Guterres questioned the fairness of the situation, stating, “How can we accept that Africa still lacks a single Permanent Member in the Security Council?”
At some point, there needs to be a revision of the UN bodies.
Problem is that those with excess power don’t want to give it up.
India not having a permanent seat on the Security Council, despite being the most populous country on Earth, is absurd.
Africa collectively should…
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 21, 2024
Guterres underscored the importance of institutions reflecting the contemporary world rather than adhering to dynamics from eight decades ago. He expressed hope for global governance reforms and the rebuilding of trust, alluding to the upcoming September Summit of the Future as an opportune moment for such considerations.
India’s absence from the UNSC’s permanent membership had earlier prompted remarks from External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who characterised the Security Council as an “old club,” reported Mint. Jaishankar criticised the existing members for resisting the inclusion of new nations, citing their reluctance to relinquish control.
“Security Council is like an old club, where there are set members who don’t want to let go of the grip. They want to keep control over the club. Not very keen to admit more members, not keen to have their practices questioned,” Jaishankar remarked, underscoring that the lack of reforms is diminishing the effectiveness of the United Nations on crucial global issues.
