Part of the debate – in the House of Lords at 2:39 pm on 17 January 2023.
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
2:39,
17 January 2023
My Lords, my noble friend speaks from experience and with insight and expertise. She is right about having text-based discussions, but she will also be aware of the challenges of any talk of UN security reform when presented. When I was at the UN in December, we did not engage specifically on this issue. We have a long-standing commitment to reform, but there are challenges, not least posed by the current permanent five members, which prevent progressive reforms taking place at pace. However, there is a real recognition that the extension of the veto challenge by the General Assembly and our respect for the views of the General Assembly are a reflection of a move in the right direction.