The L.69 group of countries from Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific have committed to instilling "new life” in their efforts towards achieving reform of the UN Security Council.

The grouping also underlined that lack of progress in the process has serious implications not only for the continued relevance of global governance institutions but also for world peace and security.

A high-level meeting of members of the L.69 group and other invited like-minded countries on 'Reinvigorating Multilateralism and Achieving Comprehensive Reform of the UN Security Council' was held here Friday on the margins of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly.

The meeting was chaired by Prime Minister of St. Vincent and Grenadines Ralph Gonsalves and co-hosted by India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

In a joint statement, the group reaffirmed that adapting the United Nations to the contemporary world realities necessarily requires "urgent and comprehensive" reform of the Security Council, the principal organ for international peace and security.

The L69 group reiterated that an expansion of the security council in both permanent and non-permanent categories, as well as reform in its working methods, is "indispensable" in making it more representative, legitimate and effective.

"We commit to instilling a new life in our efforts during the 77th session of the General Assembly and urgently call on all members states of the United Nations to join hands to achieve a comprehensive reform of the Security Council," the group said in a statement adding they affirm their commitment to making concrete progress on UNSC, including through a reenergized intergovernmental process.

"We further recognise that lack of progress in security council reform has serious implications, not only for the continued relevance of global governance institutions but also for global peace and security and delivering on the purposes, principles and promises of the United Nations Charter," the statement said.