UN reform has to be top priority agenda at global level: Bangladeshi minister

Reform of the UN has to be a top priority agenda at the global level and the Global North has to do much more than what it is doing to bridge the gap with the Global South, Bangladesh's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mohammad Shahriar Alam said on Friday.

Speaking at a panel discussion at the Raisina Dialogue, Alam said the G20 presidency is going to remain in the Global South for the next three years and there is no better opportunity to bridge the gap between the Global North and South.

''There is a disconnect between North and South. We are so far behind, the big issues like the war are impacting everyone but they (Global North) have much ability to cope with it and sail through the rough but we have very limited resources,'' the Bangladeshi leader said at the session titled 'The New High Table: Realigning the G20 in a Changing World'.

''Our challenges are much more fundamental. Whenever (Bangladesh PM) Sheikh Hasina and Narendra Modi and other leaders of the region get together, they keep mentioning poverty...In the neighbourhood, the situation is worsening by the minute. We like to talk about the big things, there are also 'low-hanging' issues but not enough attention is paid and not much resources are mobilised,'' Alam said.

He raised the issue of Rohingya refugees that his country is facing and said not many countries in the Global North have helped usher democracy in Myanmar. Calling for a change in approach, Alam stressed the importance of reform of the UN. ''India today is one of the largest countries in terms of population, what voice do you have, your voice is no more than a country of 100,000 people. Of course you are in various committees and seen differently but your vote is the same as that if a country of 100,000,'' the minister said.

''The world has changed in the last 75 years. There are new economies, important ones, UN reform has to be a top priority agenda at the global level otherwise you will never be able to get those resolutions passed,'' he said.

Alam said he was grateful to G20 president India for inviting Bangladesh and said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will attend the grouping's summit meeting in September.

Participating in the discussion, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell Fontelles said the G20 has a special responsibility with respect to the international community as it includes 70 per cent of the world population.

''When there is no consensus, it is difficult to find solutions. Nevertheless, we need to look for them and the G20 is one of the few platforms where everyone can present their proposals,'' he said.

Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard C said the G20 has a high level of value because it is the only space where you have 20 leaders that meet once a year.

''We are going to face high tensions in the coming months, however, we need to make a persistent effort to at least maintain communication between the leaders,'' he stressed.

Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly said the G20 was formed to create economic opportunities, however, it is very difficult to build them when there is a security risk.

''We know that the Global South is frustrated that this insecurity has created effects across the board because there were already crises beforehand,'' she said.