UN Security Council plans on discussing African representation
(MENAFN) The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is scheduled to engage in a significant debate regarding African representation on August 12, as announced by Sierra Leone’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Michael Imran Kanu. This development comes ahead of Sierra Leone’s presidency of the Security Council for the month of August.
Kanu revealed that the presidency’s agenda will prominently feature discussions on the reform of the Security Council, particularly focusing on the historical injustices faced by Africa and aiming to ensure a more equitable geographical distribution of representation, in alignment with the principles of the UN Charter.
Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio is set to chair the upcoming meeting, which will feature contributions from key figures including United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, United Nations General Assembly President Dennis Francis, and a representative from civil society.
Currently, the Security Council includes three African countries—Sierra Leone, Algeria, and Mozambique—within its 15-member framework. The Council is composed of five permanent members (Russia, China, the United States, the United Kingdom, and France) and ten non-permanent members elected for two-year terms.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has previously emphasized the broad consensus among United Nations member states on the need for reform within the Security Council. He noted that while achieving permanent membership for Africa remains challenging, initiating meaningful reforms is crucial.
In a related development, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov highlighted in July the importance of including representatives from Asia, Africa, and Latin America in any potential Security Council expansion, cautioning against increasing the number of Western countries.
This forthcoming debate underscores a growing global call for more inclusive and representative governance structures within the United Nations Security Council.
MENAFN05082024000045015687ID1108517926
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.