Egypt’s foreign minister has called for sweeping reforms to the UN Security Council, saying its current structure no longer reflects today’s realities and perpetuates injustice against Africa, the Arab world, and Islamic countries.

Speaking at the Bled Strategic Forum in Slovenia, Badr Abdelatty said that genuine multilateralism cannot be revived without institutional reform.

“The Security Council and the Bretton Woods institutions (the World Bank and IMF) must be restructured. Without this, talk of global leadership and multilateralism is meaningless,” he told a panel on multilateralism on Tuesday.

Veto power debate

‏He said it was unacceptable that entire regions remain excluded from permanent representation on the Security Council.

“Granting veto power to just five countries is outdated and undemocratic,” Abdelatty said, adding that either the right should be expanded to new members or abolished altogether.

Abdelatty accused Western governments of applying double standards, pointing to what he described as starkly different reactions to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Israel’s war in Gaza.

“In the West, I hear constant talk about occupation,” he said. “But when it comes to Gaza and our region, the same concern disappears. This is a disgrace for the West and for humanity.”

Stand against Israel

He urged the international community to take a clear stand against Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza and to uphold international law equally, without exception.

Israel has killed more than 63,600 Palestinians in Gaza since October 2023. The military campaign has devastated Gaza, which is facing famine.

Last November, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for its war on Gaza.