By Frank Kamuntu
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has criticized the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for not having a permanent member from Africa.
“How can we accept that Africa still lacks a single Permanent Member in the Security Council?” Guterres wrote on X.
“Institutions must reflect today’s world, not that of 80 years ago. September’s Summit of the Future will be an opportunity to consider global governance reforms & rebuild trust,” he said.
Guterres also reiterated his demand for an urgent humanitarian ceasefire and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages in Gaza.
“I will not relent in my call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and the immediate & unconditional release of all hostages,” he said.
Highlighting the humanitarian crisis in Gaza which has been under an onslaught of Israeli attacks, he said: “People in Gaza are dying not only from bombs and bullets, but from lack of food & clean water, and hospitals without power & medicine.”
African Countries Renew Calls
In September last year African countries renewed their calls to have a common position in their demand for permanent seats on the UN Security Council.
President of Equatorial Guinea, Obiang Nguema Mbasogo said the continent has been pushing for the position since 2005 without significant progress toward achieving its legitimate aspirations.
There is a need for a “renewed and revitalized action on the part of the African continent, in its demand to correct the historical injustice it has been suffering, as it is the only continent that does not have representation in the UN Security Council,” Nguema said while addressing a summit of the African Union Committee of Ten (C-10) in Equatorial Guinea at a meeting in La Paz which brought together heads of state and government as well as representatives of the UN and African Union agencies, seeking to cement a common position on UN Security Council reforms.
“It is essential that all African states remain vigilant, speaking with one voice so as not to let other countries and regions take advantage of Africa by forming alliances to achieve their own interests in becoming permanent members of the United Nations Security Council,” said Nguema.
He emphasized the need to accelerate reforms of the Security Council to ensure “equitable representation of Africa through expanded membership.”
The UN General Assembly began Intergovernmental Negotiations on reforms of the Security Council during the 63rd session of the UN General Assembly in 2009.
The Security Council has five permanent members: the US, UK, France, China and Russia.
It also has non-permanent member positions, which are held on a rotational basis.
Currently, Africa is represented by Mozambique, Gabon and Ghana.
Nguema encouraged his counterparts to sustain a push until the continent’s aspirations in the Security Council are achieved.
“I want to stress once again the importance of adopting at this summit a new strategy that will allow us to move forward with this process, to achieve Africa’s goal of obtaining equitable representation in both permanent and non-permanent seats,” he said.
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2 comments
No more with UN security Council, we now need the Union of African Nations.
Uganda will still consume its produce internally. We have enough internal market. However,we also need external market forces, but where they feel uncomfortable with our produce we tell them to wait until we sort that out.