Indonesia Calls for 'Thorough UN Reform' for Slow Response on Gaza

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi slammed United Nation's slow response toward the situation in Gaza. The region is currently besieged by Israel, with depleting electricity and clean water and without any incoming fuel included in the humanitarian assistance allowed to enter. 

"The situation in Gaza and the UN's slow response reminds us of the importance of a thorough UN reform, so the UN may remain relevant and beneficial for the issue at hand," she said during a speech video projected at the National Library in commemoration of UN Day in Jakarta today.

Minister Retno landed in New York yesterday to attend several Security Council meetings on Tuesday concerning the situation in the Middle East.

Earlier, Retno also called for a UN multilateral system reform in between UNGA meetings on Thursday, September 21, 2023. "Summit of the Future must be able to form real and concrete results. Thus, it is critical to conduct the multilateral architecture reform against the current system," she said at the time. She also demanded the UN Security Council be transparent, democratic, and effective.

The 15-member council failed to adopt a proposed ceasefire resolution last week which would have allowed humanitarian aid to enter the Gaza Strip. While 12 UNSC member states supported the resolution, the US, one of the permanent members of the council vetoed the resolution. 

Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi would call for a ceasefire, opening the access for humanitarian aid, and an end to Israel's occupation in Palestine in front of the UN Security Council today.

She would attend the UNSC Open Debate on Palestine, the UNSC Open Debate on Women, Peace, and Security, and an Emergency Special Session of the UNGA on Illegal Israeli actions in occupied East Jerusalem and the rest of the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

"I will speak before the UNSC, calling for an immediate stop to violence, ceasefire, opening humanitarian access, and don't forget the root cause of this conflict, ending Israel's occupation of Palestinian land," she concluded.

NABIILA AZZAHRA ABDULLAH

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