Proposal for the United Nations to increase the number of permanent member countries to 20

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

President Erdogan stressed the need for a radical reform of the UN Security Council due to the organization's inability to resolve "hot" issues in the world.

"Out of 194 countries, only 5 countries hold the position of permanent members of the UN, which cannot "shoulder" and accurately assess the world situation. If reformed, there should be up to 20 permanent members, representatives of all continents and religions, with rotation of responsibilities. Only then will the UN organization operate fairly" - excerpt from the speech of the Turkish President.

UN Headquarters. Photo: Sputnik

Mr. Erdogan also emphasized that this organization is currently incapable of resolving ongoing conflicts, citing specific examples such as nearly 8 years of civil war and crises, military conflicts in Syria that have not yet ended; Israel continuing with its repressive policies; conflicts with Palestine and disunity among Muslims...

"Can the UN solve those problems? No," Mr. Erdogan said, adding that the UN's efforts only serve to protect the interests of certain parties.

The 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) opened on September 18 at the UN headquarters in New York, USA. The high-level plenary meetings officially began on September 24 and are expected to last for 9 working days. During the high-level general discussions, delegates will discuss issues related to peace, efforts to prevent nuclear weapons, the fight against tuberculosis, and non-communicable diseases. The session is considered the world's largest multilateral diplomatic forum with the participation of leaders and representatives of 194 member countries.