Leveraging Influence on the UN Security Council: The Cases of Brazil, India, and South Africa

Abstract

There is always scepticism about the extent to which an elected member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) can meaningfully exert influence. This article reassesses how, between 2010 and 2012, Brazil, India, and South Africa tried to leverage their membership to influence UNSC decision-making processes. It addresses the Council’s dynamics and practices, the centrality of its five permanent members (P5), and the ways these countries achieve their foreign policy objectives. Through country-specific cases, this article shows that although there is space for an elected member to influence the Council, challenging the predominance of the P5 remains difficult, even by seizing opportunities and engaging with key UNSC players.