Mr. President,

The Philippines has consistently emphasized the view that the veto power has no place in a 21st century UN Security Council.

The veto should not paralyze the Security Council as the primary organ in dealing with issues concerning international peace and security.

This highlights therefore the urgent need for reform in the veto process so that the Security Council can better address global conflicts. A reformed approach to the veto is critical in ensuring the Council remains accountable and committed to its primary mandate.

Indeed, no Member State should be granted the special privilege to exercise the veto power, as this is in direct contravention of the principle of sovereign equality of all Member States as enshrined in the UN Charter. It is undemocratic and sidelines the voices of the majority of UN Member States.

In its current form, the veto power often hinders the Security Council’s ability to act swiftly on critical issues. It also often leads to inaction on conflicts and humanitarian crises, even if they have overwhelming global support.

The Security Council’s difficulties in handling crises such as Myanmar in 2021, Russia-Ukraine in 2022, and Israel-Hamas in 2023, reflect a more polarized world and the conflicting interests of its permanent members.

These cases also show that it would indeed be a challenge to remove the veto privileges of the permanent members, as it requires the agreement of the P5 themselves.

With the exercise of the veto power not being curtailed, the effectiveness and efficiency of the Council would always be under threat, especially at times of great geopolitical rivalries.

The selective use of the veto erodes trust in the UN’s ability and capability to act impartially and decisively and undermines its legitimacy as a global institution empowered to represent all nations equally and fairly.

We should therefore pursue every effort to curtail the exercise or use of the veto.

One path that we find useful is the Code of Conduct proposed by the Accountability, Coherence and Transparency or ACT group and the French-Mexican initiative that spell out exceptions to the use of the veto power.

Limiting the use of vetoes to specific situations, like Chapter VII actions with respect to threats to the peace, could also reduce misuse.

Another path is through the veto initiative in the context of the General Assembly. The landmark resolution on the question of the veto would somehow contribute to addressing the issue, and in the process enhance the accountability of the Security Council.

In a mutually reinforcing manner, the resolution could strengthen the General Assembly and allow Member States to be represented and to articulate their views. In this manner, Security Council reform is being undertaken in conjunction with the ongoing efforts to revitalize the General Assembly especially with respect to enhancing the role of the Member States on matters affecting international peace and security.

We wish to point out, however, that this exercise in the General Assembly should produce concrete outcomes that can have a positive impact on the ground, and in the long run, enhance the credibility and effectiveness of the United Nations.

Finally, the Philippines would like to emphasize its consistent view that the exercise of the right of veto is an exceptional responsibility and should not be used without accountability. It must be judiciously used, and should not unduly constrain the Security Council from fulfilling its primary mandate of maintaining international peace and security.

Thank you, Mr. President.