UN System must be Reformed – Hylton

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator Anthony Hylton, has said that the United Nations system must be reformed to make it more accountable and responsive to the interests and concerns of all its member states.
“The reformed United Nations should result in a principled, inclusive and democratic forum to the extent that it provides full opportunity to all states to participate in and to benefit from the global system,” the Senator said in his contribution to the State of the Nation Debate in the Upper House on Friday (Jan. 19).
He added that “meaningful reform implies that all the organs of the United Nations, including the Security Council and the Economic and Social Council are strengthened, renewed and revitalized, so that they become effective in the discharge of their mandates”.
In the meantime, the Minister said that Jamaica continued to pursue multilateral opportunities through the Non Aligned Movement and Group of 77 (G-77), so as to further the country’s interests.
“Jamaica, for example, used the opportunity at the 14th Summit of the Non Aligned Movement in Cuba this year, to promote and gain political support from its developing country partners, for issues that are critical to our interest, namely energy, security and sustainable development,” informed Mr. Hylton.
He noted that collaboration with other developing countries was not always easy but “members of the G-77, which in fact now has 131 member states and China, have always recognised that their common interests far outweigh their differences”.
“We experienced that firsthand when Jamaica had responsibility to co-ordinate and lead the negotiation for the Group in 2005. The second G-77 Summit in 2005, under Jamaica’s chairmanship, resulted in among other things, a comprehensive plan of action for south-south cooperation,” said Senator Hylton.