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Professor Eghosa Osaghae, the Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, has argued that the expansion of economic and political blocs like BRICS does not pose a significant threat to the United Nations’ role in global governance.
He emphasized that these emerging alliances could complement, rather than compete with, the multilateral framework provided by the UN.
BRICS, which began as a coalition of five countries, has expanded significantly, now comprising 10 full members. Additionally, 13 nations have recently been welcomed as partner countries, further cementing the bloc’s influence on the global stage.
From its origins as a five-nation alliance, BRICS has now grown to encompass ten full members, with 13 additional countries recently joining as partners. This expansion reflects the forum’s increasing influence as a platform for collaboration among key emerging economies.
From its inception as a group of five countries, the BRICS has expanded its membership to 10, with 13 other countries recently admitted as partners. This growth highlights the bloc’s evolving role as a key player in global politics and economics, with a more diverse range of voices contributing to its objectives.
According to Osaghae, the likes of BRICS, the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation are only complementary and not emerging to rival the UN.
He said the emergence of such blocs aligned with Chapter 8 of the UN Charter which recognises the role of regional organisations and similar platforms in the promotion of global peace and security.
Osaghae said, “There are evolving powers, emerging powers across the world and it is because the UN has not been able to accommodate all of those changing configurations, you have countries like BRICS have come as alternative blocs, platforms.
“BRICS cannot be a threat to the UN because the UN brings together all the countries in the world.
“The BRICS brings together the first six, now 12 countries as the BRICS plus. So, you cannot have a bloc of 12 countries becoming a rival to the UN, that is impossible.
“Second is that NATO, G20, G5, and EU, have been there. They were complementary to the UN system.
“Chapter 8 of the UN Charter recognises the role of regional organisations and other platforms that would promote global peace and security. BRICS can be a complement to the UN, the multilateral system. I don’t want us to take the UN in isolation. “It complements other platforms. There is the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the Organisation of American States.
“All of these groups are complementary to the UN, they don’t contradict the fundamental principles of the UN to the extent that they all also are in pursuit of the global public good and safety and security and prosperity for mankind.”
The NIIA DG, however, noted that there was a need for reform and strengthening of the UN to be able to fulfil its statutory obligations.
Osaghae particularly noted that the recent UN Pact for the Future became expedient as the UN was unable to efficiently deal with issues of inequality, gross abuses of human rights, poverty, injustice, disobedience of rule of law, and state collapse, on a global scale.
More than ever, he noted that there was the need for a stronger UN as there continued to emerge alternative blocs like BRICS keen to accommodate the changing configurations around the world.
“Parties like BRICS, you know, have come as alternative blocs and platforms and so on. So the question that this pact is addressing, which is of great interest to everyone is, do we need the UN? Yes. Do we continue to need the UN? Yes.
“Should the UN be stronger? Yes, you know, and it is along these lines that reforms have been called for, that will make the UN more representative, you know, more inclusive, and strengthened in its institutional capacities, and so on,” Osaghae said.
