“Germany committed to reforming the U.N.”

A report issued by the U.N. secretary-general recommended reforming the organization. Germany supports the reform proposals aimed at making a more efficient U.N. to combat terrorism, organized crime and poverty, and foster human rights, good governance and protection of the environment. Germany pledged to allocate 0.7% of its GDP to assist developing nations in 2015.
Berlin feels that the composition of the U.N. Security Council does not reflect global equality. Germany is a candidate for a permanent seat together with Japan, Brazil and India. It was Junichiro Koizumi who called for the meeting of these four countries in 2004 in the so-called “Group of Four” (G-4), something logical under the different reform plans regarding their accession to the Security Council.
Germany understands the arguments against its entry into the Security Council. In Europe, Italy has requested a seat for the European Union. This is Germany’s long-term objective, but not immediately. I am asked why Germany and Japan, two losers in the World War II, should be now members of the Security Council. Our countries are no longer what they used to be in the 1940s. Today, we have built leading economies which contribute financially and militarily to world peace. The experience of these two non-nuclear powers would be very beneficial to the U.N.