By Amin Kef Sesay
In a new development following years of advocacy the United Nations General Assembly has finally adopted, by consensus, the decision on the question of equitable representation on and increase in the membership of the Security Council and related matters.
President Julius Maada Bio serves as Coordinator of the African Union Committee of Ten Heads and Government on the Reform of the UN Security Council (C10).
In that capacity, he champions the African demand for two permanent seats and two additional non-permanent seats on the UN Security Council, which is the principal decision-making Organ on matters relating to international peace and security.
While presenting his statement on the issue at the General Assembly Hall in New York, Alie Kabba said the Ezulwini Consensus and Sirte Declaration are fundamental pillars of the Common African Position and decisions reached by African Heads of State and Government representing the voice of the African people.
He reiterated, on behalf of President Bio, the strong commitment of Africa towards advancing this important issue of reforming the Security Council to better reflect the current geopolitical realities, including correcting the acknowledged injustice that Africa continues to suffer.
“We further wish to reiterate our sincere gratitude to the Co-Chairs for reflecting in their Elements Paper the wide recognition and broad support by Member States for the legitimate aspiration for Africa to play its rightful role in the global stage, including through an increased presence in the Security Council, as reflected in the Ezulwini Consensus adopted by the African Union and also, for accurately reflecting the view that redressing the historical injustice against Africa is viewed as a priority,” adding that they would like to also register their profound thanks and appreciation to the President of the General Assembly for recognizing and indicating in his submission the wide and broad support by Member States for the legitimate call of African Countries to correct the historical injustice done to the African continent.
“We would like to reaffirm that the Ezulwini Consensus and Sirte Declaration are fundamental pillars of the Common African Position and decisions reached by the African Heads of State and Government, representing the voice of the African people.
These decisions champions our common aspiration for the full representation of Africa in all decision-making organs of the UN, particularly the Security Council, which is the principal decision-making Organ on matters relating to international peace and security. We therefore hope that the Co-Chairs’ will take this into full consideration to fully and accurately reference the Ezulwini Consensus and Sirte Declaration in their Elements Paper.
“Moving forward, the African Group looks forward to building on the gains made during the 75th session of the IGN and to further constructively engaging with all Member States and Interest Groups, as well as having comprehensive discussions on the Co-Chairs’ Elements Paper with a view to building convergences and tightening down the divergences that still continue to exists as well as ensuring that the full tenor of the discussions of the IGN during its 75th session and the next is reflected in the Co-Chairs’ Elements Paper going forward.
“We acknowledge with appreciation, the Co-Chairs’ indicating in their Paper, the broad support by significant number of Member States for expansion of both the permanent and non-permanent categories of the Security Council in the Elements Paper and for recognizing the wide and broad support the Common African Position continues to garner in these deliberations. Additionally, we would like to reiterate that one issue that underscores the widest possible consensus emerging from the IGN process is that Africa should be represented in the permanent category, especially being a region that is not represented in that category, as well as the need to address its under-representation in the non-permanent category.
We, therefore, hope that the wide and broad support garnered in favour of the Common African position, including the support for Africa to be allocated seats in both the permanent and non-permanent categories of the Security Council will be taken into consideration in the next IGN session.
“Africa will, therefore, continue to underline the need for an expansion in both the current permanent and non-permanent categories of the Council in order to make the Council to be more broadly representative, efficient and transparent, and thus to enhance its effectiveness and the legitimacy and implementation of its decisions,” he said and concluded that the C-10 of the African Group supports the consensus in the spirit of safeguarding the unity and mutual trust among the membership, and also to move forward the reform of the Security Council in conformity with the principles and purposes of the UN Charter.
