Japan reiterates call for UN Security Council reform

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) – Russia’s “totally unacceptable” war on Ukraine has reaffirmed the need to reform the UN Security Council, according to Japan’s foreign minister.

Moscow’s aggression is “a unilateral change of the status quo by force … and constitutes a violation of international law which shakes the very foundations of the international order,” Yoshimasa Hayashi said in a virtual meeting with his counterparts from several African countries on Sunday night.

“The international community needs to address the situation in a concerted manner,” he was quoted as saying in a statement issued by Japan’s Foreign Ministry on Monday.

Hayashi also stressed the “importance of establishing a free and open international order based on the rules under the vision of a ‘Free and Open Indo-Pacific,’ as well as the importance of fairness and transparency of development finance.”

During the ministerial meeting of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development, he said the COVID-19 pandemic “has had a considerable socioeconomic impact on Africa.”

“Japan supports the realization of Agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goals, with an emphasis on ‘people’ and ‘quality growth’ based on the principle of human security,” he was quoted as saying.

Agenda 2063 is a comprehensive development plan for the continent envisaging inclusive and sustainable socioeconomic growth by 2063.

Over the past decade, Africa has seen widespread investments by China, while Turkiye has also strengthened its foothold in the continent.