Sylvie Lucas appointed as the new chair of UN Security Council reforms process

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✷ Luxembourg envoy to the UN Sylvie Lucas has been appointed as the next chair of the Inter-

Governmental Negotiations (IGN) on UN Security Council reforms ahead of the next round of 

negotiations. Lucas replaces Ambassador Courtenay Rattray of Jamaica.

✷ She was appointed by UN General Assembly President Mogens Lykketoft, who urged member states to build momentum and move forward the process of text-based negotiations on the long-pending reforms before the next round of negotiations begin next week.

Background :-

✷ 69th session of UNGA under previous UNGA president Sam Kutesa, had achieved a breakthrough of sorts in the UNSC reform process by adopting a negotiating text in September 2015.

What was the text about ?

✷ It contained the positions of various UN members on how the permanent and non-permanent seats of the UNSC should be expanded along with their proposals for use of the veto.

✷ In a landmark decision in September, the UN General Assembly had adopted by consensus the negotiating text, setting the stage for negotiations to begin on UNSC reforms on the basis of a text for the first time in nearly two decades.

Note :-

✷ Luxembourg was a non-permanent member of the 15-nation Security Council for the 2013-14 term. Luxembourg was also the part of the BENELUX countries (Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg) which are advocating UNSC reforms.