President Cyril Ramaphosa. (GCIS)
President Cyril Ramaphosa told Parliament on Thursday that Africa would decide as a group to represent the continent on the UN Security Council when the recent proposal for a permanent seat becomes reality.
He said any suggestion that South Africa would drop in the rankings in the process was misplaced.
Referring to the policy position adopted by the AU in 2005, he said: “Ultimately it is the African Union that takes that decision, but this does not reflect Ezulwini's decision on which countries should be represented on the UN Security Council.・As set out in the consensus.'' .
“This decision will not be taken by South Africa, nor will it be taken by any one country in particular. It will be adopted by the African Union, and it will be adopted on the basis of representativeness and capacity. ” he said.
“We are just one of many countries on the continent. Just as our voice is very loud, so are the voices of many other countries.”
The statement follows recent suggestions that South Africa had defied its neighbors in the 15-nation Southern African Development Community in selecting a consensus candidate to head the African Development Bank. I objected to this.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield said in September that the United States supports giving Africa two permanent seats on the Security Council, but the proposal does not require new members to have a veto. Not as good as that.
Mr. Ramaphosa stressed that the proposal, which will form the basis of future text-based negotiations at the United Nations, is inconsistent in this respect with demands made by African countries nearly 20 years ago.
“There is no clarity on the veto issue,” he said, adding that the decision to hold further negotiations in writing was “important”.
Africa's position is that the continent should be given two permanent and five non-permanent seats on the Security Council.
“This bill calls for the abolition of the veto and prerogative powers currently held by five member states. However, to the extent that veto powers exist, they will be extended to all new permanent members as well. It is a privilege and a privilege to do so,” Ramaphosa said.
International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola said last week that Pretoria considers the Security Council veto “outdated” but is still processing the proposal and preparing for further debate.
He acknowledged that it was inevitable that African countries would have different views on whether to accept the proposal in its current form or to defer to a better proposal.
“Obviously that discussion is going to happen. It has to be robust, it has to happen and we have to confront it. It's a reality. It's on the table now. “We must engage as a continent and come up with a position that acknowledges the evolving reality in which we find ourselves,” he said. Mail and Guardian.
“But I don't think it should be seen as a division because it's clear that there will be real differences of opinion. I think at the end of that discussion there will be agreement on how to do it.”
South Africa has already begun discussions with African countries in this regard.
Negotiations at the United Nations could take years, but Mr Ramaphosa said South Africa would use its upcoming G20 presidency to seek a meaningful role for Africa and the rest of the Global South at the UN. He said he would continue to stress the urgency of reforming the United States and other multilateral institutions.
“The international political and economic system remains unequal and unfair. It reflects the world 70 years ago, not the world today,” he said.
“We therefore continue to call for urgent reform of the Security Council based on Africa’s common position.”
He said hosting the first G20 summit on African soil was “a great platform for us, as South Africans, to advance the interests of our continent and the Global South, and therefore our representation in the world body.” Gender issues will become very prominent.” ”.
At the United Nations General Assembly in September, he similarly accused the Security Council of neglecting its mandate.
“In its current configuration, the UN Security Council is failing to fulfill its Charter mandate due to the narrow national interests pursued and the quest for further geopolitical influence.”
Mr Ramaphosa said the country had been unable to prevent or resolve several harmful conflicts in recent years, particularly in the Middle East, Ukraine, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
“The shortcomings of the United Nations Security Council have dire implications for the African continent and the Global South, where ongoing conflicts often experience economic and social consequences in many ways.”
Ramaphosa said African countries currently account for a quarter of the 193 member states of the United Nations, “but African countries do not have permanent seats in the United Nations Security Council, where decisions regarding the maintenance of international peace and security are taken. Not a single country has one,” he said.
“This is particularly concerning given that much of the UN Security Council’s agenda relates to issues on the African continent.”
