Zambia Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Joseph Malanji has called on Africa to ensure that they demand for equitable representation and membership in the United Nations Security Council.
The Minister said this during a virtual Ministerial Meeting of the African Union of the Committee of Ten on 26th January, 2021.It is a Committee of Ten Heads of State and Government (C-10), set-up by the African Union with the mandate to advocate and canvass the African Common Position on United Nations Security Council (UNSC) reforms.
Hon. Malanji said it was imperative that the UN Security Council as the pioneer of governance systems, reflected the needs and interests of both developing and developed countries in a rational and non-selective manner.
Hon. Malanji said Zambia supported the AU position on the need for Africa to have two permanent positions and the right to veto in the UN Security Council.
He called on the C10 to continue to hold consultations with member states and other interest groups in an effort to achieve a comprehensive reform of the UN.
The Minister said the African Common Position should be treated as a ‘’special case’’ as Africa is the only continent not represented in the UNSC.
The Ministerial Meeting of the Committee of Ten, which has since come to an end, reiterated the importance for African countries to remain resolute on the need to reform the United Nations Security Council.
The meeting reiterated the Common African Position as espoused in the Ezulwini Consensus and Sirte Declaration, as the only viable option to redress the historical injustice done to the African continent.
The Ezulwini Consensus is a position on international relations and reform of the United Nations, agreed by the African Union. It calls for a more representative and democratic Security Council, in which Africa, like all other world regions, is equitably represented.
The C10 Ministerial Meeting also agreed to speak with one voice to support the African union position, which reiterated Africa’s rejection of any piecemeal approaches, including any variant of the interim, intermediary, or transitional models.
The meeting further recommended that African countries must include the Common African position on the reform of the UN Security Council in their respective Foreign Policy priorities.Zambia is a member of the ten African Countries under the African Union Committee.