15
May
During a summit of African heads of state held this weekend in Livingstone, President Edgar Lungu raised criticism regarding the process of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), saying that it is regrettable that African nations have so often been excluded from major UN decisions affecting the continent.
Addressing the UN Security Council Committee of 10 (C10) Summit, President Lungu said without addressing this grave discrepancy, the UN risks negating the gains of its 70 years of advancing democracy, equity and inclusiveness.
“We as Africans are confident that our demands and expectations will be met. However, it calls for unwavering focus and consolidated effort as a united front to realize our goal of a reformed, inclusive UN security council,” he said.
President Lungu said this year marks 10 years since the adoption of the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration which are the bedrock of the African common position on the reform of the UN Security Council.
He said as regards the negotiations are concerned, he was informed that recent dynamics during the negotiations at the UN presented challenges to Africa’s quest to attain a just and equitable representation in the un security council.
The President noted that it was incumbent upon Africans, as torch bearers of the Ezulwini Consensus, to rise to the challenge and ensure Africa’s geopolitical presence in the UN Security council.
“It is my hope, in that at this C10 conference here in Livingstone today, we will come up with the required resolutions to address the challenges faced by earlier efforts and a practical roadmap to advance and accelerate our cause. There is need for deeper reflection and understanding for this relative lack of progress in not only advancing and canvassing support for the Ezulwini Consensus, but the Security Council reforms as a whole. Part of our reflection will require that we address a few questions which have a direct bearing on our success,” he said.
Africa’s exclusion from issues of international peace and security at the UN should be met by the appropriate and justified response that will effectively promote inclusiveness, transparency, accountability and equitable representation in the UN Security Council.
“We have witnessed some heavy lobbying from certain interest groups who wish to see Africa change its position on the matter of the veto. One is prompted to ask the question: is it the African response to the veto that is perhaps, stalling the reform process? These are some of the questions we need to fully address as we commemorate the 10th anniversary of the adoption of the African common position let us take stock of the successful milestones and the challenges on the path of the reform within our Ezulwini consensus. Let us examine innovative ways of appropriating Ezulwini to greater heights for a common and public good.”
President Lungu said there is need to re-ignite the demand for Africa to be heard and granted its place at the Security Council table.
He said time is ripe to discuss the modalities for expanded consultations and that consensus need to be achieved on how this can best be done. He said this will be within the spirit of the Oyo conclusions of May 2014 and the subsequent adoption by the AU heads of state summit.
President Lungu said with 70 years of the UN’s existence, no one should deny that the global landscape has changed and that the UN has evolved and its security council need reforms that will reflect and adapt to the evolution.
Source: http://allafrica.com/stories/201505100116.html