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Africa deserves UN seats
The Herald, 30 January 2006
Editor
THE reform of the United Nations (UN) presents an opportunity for the former imperialists who sit on the Security Council to atone for their evil past and accept the continent as an equal partner in international affairs.
Africa is pushing for meaningful and wide-ranging reforms of the Security Council, the powerful UN organ responsible for world peace and security.
The continent is against cosmetic changes which will perpetuate its current position on the fringes of decision-making.
In its proposals, Africa wants the Security Council expanded to 26 seats, with six new permanent veto-wielding seats, two of which would be reserved for the continent and five new non-permanent seats, of which two would also go to Africa.
The continent does not wish for the veto but should demand it if other permanent members retain.
Africa must be accepted as an equal partner with the full enjoyment of all the privileges, rights and obligations attached to that status in the council. In other words, there should be no bulls and steers in the Security Council kraal.
Africa deserves those two permanent seats and two non-permanent seats that it is demanding not only in terms of correcting historical imbalances, but also in terms of geographical representation.
The continent must, in fact, demand that justice be done.
There is no reason why the continent cannot get what it is demanding given that some of those powers who sit on the Security Council have privately accepted proposals by Brazil, Germany, India and Japan —— the so-called Group of 4 —— to be on the council.
Some of the countries that sit on the Security Council have no moral grounds to deny Africa its demands and should redress the long-standing injustices to the continent.
African leaders are not giving up on their position and have reinforced it at their summits in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and Sirte, Libya, last year, and at their summit in Khartoum, Sudan, last week.
What the leaders now need to do is to convince, through the committee of 10 headed by Sierra Leone President Ahmed Tejan Kabbah, not only the five Security Council permanent members, but the rest of the world, the significance of their position.
Africa needs to stand united on this issue and no country or countries on the continent should be allowed to "cut deals" with some members of the Security Council for their own selfish ends.
The issue of which countries would represent Africa on the council —— which would only be decided after the continent’’s position is accepted at the Security Council —— should not work to divide the continent, but should strengthen their unity as whoever will be chosen by the AU should represent the interests of the continent.
It is also important that in pursuing their position on the UN reforms, the leaders do not only focus on the Security Council, but the overall reform of the structures of the world body, including the General Assembly.
It is in Africa’’s interest to work for reforms that will strengthen, and not weaken, the role of the General Assembly.
In the 1960s and 1970s, Africa was very strong in the General Assembly because of its preponderance in numbers.
At that time Africa’’s numerical representation was decisive and neither the United States nor the then Soviet Union would take any action without consulting the African group.
But with the increased membership arising after the break-up of the former Soviet Union and Yugoslavia, Africa’’s influence is not as strong as before.
But African leaders believe the continent can still exercise influence by continuing to work closely with the Non-Aligned Movement group —— a group that is also demanding the strengthening of the General Assembly.
It is time that Africa stood up and be counted.
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