France expects next UN chief to reform, strengthen organization: Foreign minister

Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said Wednesday that France expects the next UN chief to reform and strengthen the world body.

“What we expect from a future secretary-general is that he can reform the United Nations to strengthen it, and certainly not discredit it in order to better bury it,” Barrot told the French Senate.

Barrot said France would not accept efforts by major powers to weaken or paralyze the UN, which he described as an organization founded to serve peace, development and human rights.

He said international cooperation and multilateralism were essential to protecting people from threats including war, AI, climate change and pandemics.

France, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, was making efforts to reform the organization and make it more legitimate and representative, he said.

Barrot also cited a French initiative to limit the use of veto powers by permanent Security Council members, saying it aimed to help protect civilians in Sudan, Ukraine, the Gaza Strip and Iran when they are targeted.