United Nations, September 26, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
India’s campaign for permanent membership of the UN Security Council has received fresh support during the 81st session of the UN General Assembly, with Portugal and Mauritius explicitly backing New Delhi’s candidature and the Marshall Islands reaffirming support for Japan and its G4 partners.
The endorsements came amid renewed calls at the General Assembly for a more representative Security Council that reflects current geopolitical and regional realities. The UN’s 81st General Assembly session opened on September 8, with the high-level general debate running from September 22 to 26 and September 28.
Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Montenegro called for a more representative Council, including permanent seats for Africa, Brazil and India.
Mauritian Foreign Minister Dhananjay Ramful gave a direct endorsement of India’s bid, saying Mauritius supported the positions of the G4 and L69 groups and reiterated its backing for “India’s candidature for a permanent seat”.
Mauritius also supported the Common African Position, which seeks at least two permanent and five non-permanent African seats. Ramful said any new permanent members should have the same rights as the existing permanent members if the veto is retained, while also backing representation for small island developing states.
Marshall Islands President Hilda Heine expressed support for Japan and its G4 partners — India, Brazil and Germany — in their pursuit of permanent membership.
Japan also called for an expansion of both permanent and non-permanent categories, with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi saying the Council must be transformed to reflect present international realities.
Other leaders focused on broader regional representation. Finnish President Alexander Stubb proposed at least two additional permanent seats for Africa, two for the Asia-Pacific and one for Latin America, while opposing the extension of veto power to any single new member.
Saint Lucia Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre urged an early conclusion to the long-running reform process, including expanded representation for Africa, the Asia-Pacific, and Latin America and the Caribbean.
African leaders made a strong case for reform. Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio said Africa remained without a permanent seat despite being a major focus of the Council’s work. Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama described reform as essential to the UN’s legitimacy and credibility.
The UN has continued intergovernmental negotiations on Security Council reform for years, with the General Assembly seeking a model capable of gaining broad political acceptance among member states.
The Security Council currently has 15 members — five permanent members with veto power and 10 elected members serving two-year terms. Any amendment to its composition would require approval by two-thirds of the General Assembly and ratification by two-thirds of UN members, including all five permanent members.
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