"Seventy years since its foundation, the UN is still not delivering its Charter pledge 'to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war'. The organisation is seen as not truly representative of all member states and insufficiently transparent in its decision-making," the Elders said in a press release.
According to the Elders initiative, the domination of the five permanent UN Security Council members (P5), namely the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia and China, could lead to "institutional deadlock" and "exclusion of the Global South" and non-permanent members, who could be immediately reelected, are needed instead.
The Elders also urged the P5 nations to be more conscientious in using their veto in the areas of military conflicts, where people face genocide. The initiative also called for more transparency and accountability of the organization.
The Elders in an international non-governmental organization founded in 2007 by the former President of South Africa Nelson Mandela. It comprises of politicians, human rights advocates and peace activists. The former Secretary-General of the United Nations Kofi Annan serves as the initiative's chair.
