By Alpha Abu
President Julius Maada Bio in a tweet, reacting to the overwhelming voting of Sierra Leone’s membership into the UN Security Council says it’s a testament to his Government’s transformation of the country’s “international reputation and standing ‘’, and “immense foreign policy gains’’ over the last five years.
He said the country’s return to the council is a “generational accomplishment’’ and a “unique success as a democratic and peaceful country of resilience and unbounded optimism’’.
On behalf of every Sierra Leonean, he expressed gratitude to African nations and the entire UN member states for what he said was their overwhelming support and trust in the people and government of Sierra Leone under his leadership.
He said Sierra Leone was no longer defined by the stigma of the past and is now a beacon of hope and fortitude.
Sierra Leone’s success was the culmination of advanced lobbying and a confidence-building drive spearheaded by President Julius Maada Bio and Foreign Minister, Professor David Francis, to garner international support for the country’s UN Security Council bid.
Back in May 2022, President Bio at the official launch of Sierra Leone’s UN Security Council bid at State House, in Freetown said: “Sierra Leone can today proudly boast of its credentials as a successful model of peace-building and post-war reconstruction. We owe it to the global family of nations to share our experiences and lessons in peace-making, peacekeeping, and peace-building’’.
The voting in New York by UN member states on Tuesday 6th June 2023 saw Sierra Leone getting 188 votes from 192, an achievement by a country that had felt the horrors of conflict and whose experience in negotiating and consolidating peace could prove invaluable as it now sits with powerful world powers to discuss global peace and security issues. Four other countries, Algeria, Slovenia, South Korea, and Guyana were also elected to membership of the Security Council as non-permanent members. They will serve on the council for the period 2024-2025. The UN Security Council is made up of 15 Members, 5 of which are permanent members- United Kingdom, France, Russia, United States, and China.
The council discusses conflict and how to preserve world peace. It can pass a resolution sanctioning the deployment of UN Peacekeepers to enforce peace in conflict areas around the world. The last time Sierra Leone was a member of the council was 1970-1971.
Copyright © 2023 Politico (07/06/23)
