By Mabinty M. Kamara
As African leaders push for the reform of the United Nations Security Council to situate Africa in a better position, Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio has urged his fellow leaders to increase their thrust to emancipate the continent from what he described as “historical injustice done to Africa”
“What is this historical injustice? By reason of colonialism and its vestiges, Africa is not being represented in the Permanent Category and is grossly underrepresented in the Non-Permanent Category of the UN Security Council,” he said.
The President was speaking at the African Union Committee of Ten (C-10) African Heads of State and Government on the reform of the United Nations Security Council summit, in Oyala, Equatorial Guinea on the 24th of November 2023.
Bio said the purpose of the Summit was to take stock of the progress made in terms of delivering on the core mandate of the Committee in so far as canvassing support for the Common Africa Position.
He therefore urged the committee members to either develop a holistic plan for the reform of the UN Security Council or advocate for the treatment of Africa as a special case that should be prioritised.
On the element of building convergences, he said the committee’s current mandate demands safeguarding the integrity of the Common African Position.
“Africa’s position, therefore, is unequivocal: we demand two seats in the Permanent Category of the UN Security Council and an additional two seats in the Non-Permanent Category, bringing the total of Non-Permanent seats to five,” he said adding that the African Union will choose the African Permanent Members.
He also urged for an enhanced engagement which according to him could mean to properly situate themselves to take advantage of any opportunity that may arise from the efforts of the Inter-Governmental Negotiations (IGN) Co-Chairs, Member States, and Interest Groups.
“The Veto, Africa wants it to be abolished. If, however, Member States wish to retain the Veto, it must be extended to all new Permanent Members,” President Bio stated.
On his part, he said that he has already tasked Sierra Leone’s Mission in New York to use the country’s Presidency of the UN Security Council in August 2024 to hold a high-level event, “one of our signature events, on the reform of the UN Security Council and the imperative to address the historical injustice done to Africa.” He explained that the event will offer an unparalleled opportunity for Africa to speak with one voice, “calling for us to be treated as a special case and prioritised.”
Sierra Leone was this year elected to the United Nations non-permanent Security Council seat for the period 2024-25.
It will be the country’s second stint at the council, the first in 1970-1971.
President Bio in his first term announced the country’s desire to be part of the council and got successfully elected. He said he wanted Sierra Leone to join in advancing global peace and security. Sierra Leone is joined by Algeria, replacing Gabon and Ghana on the seats reserved for Africa.
Copyright © 2023 Politico (27/11/23)
