New York — South Africa is pushing for greater African representation on the United Nations Security Council, with the country using ongoing intergovernmental negotiations on UN reform to advance the African Union's position for permanent representation.
This is according to South Africa's Permanent Representative to the UN in New York, Ambassador Mxolisi Sizo Nkosi, who spoke to SANews ahead of the start of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly.
Nkosi said the reform of the Security Council remains an important part of South Africa's agenda at the 81st UN General Assembly, as Pretoria seeks to build support for the African position contained in the Ezulwini Consensus.
The Security Council currently comprises 15 members, five permanent members and 10 non-permanent members elected by the General Assembly for two-year terms.
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"In terms of the steps that need to be taken to advance this agenda, we need to accelerate the debate in the UN. Currently, we have a debate. The item is on the agenda. There is what we call intergovernmental negotiations (IGN) that are taking place in the UN and these are focused on the reform of the UN, with a specific focus on the expansion of the Security Council," Nkosi said.
South Africa maintains that the Council must be expanded to make its composition more representative of the contemporary international system, particularly by addressing Africa's absence from the permanent category.
"We firmly believe, as a country, that in line with the Ezulwini Consensus, which is the African Union position, the Security Council has to be expanded," Nkosi told SAnews.
Africa currently has representation among the Council's elected members, but no permanent seat. The UN Charter provides for five permanent members and 10 non-permanent members, with the latter elected by the General Assembly for two-year terms.
Nkosi said Africa's case for a permanent role was grounded in the continent's demographic, economic and geopolitical significance, as well as its direct stake in questions of international peace and security.
"Africa is one of the regions that are not represented in the Security Council in the permanent category. It's important that Africa should be represented in the UN. We've got a significant population of over one 1 billion people in the African continent.
"We have a significant economy with a significant role to play in international politics. If you look at it from a security point of view, the majority of conflicts that are taking place in the world today, both intrastate and interstate... are in Africa ... hence, we believe that we have to be represented," Nkosi emphasised.
He said South Africa would continue advancing the Ezulwini Consensus through the IGN process, with the question of the form that African representation should take to be addressed once agreement on Council expansion is reached.
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The Security Council has primary responsibility under the UN Charter for the maintenance of international peace and security, making its composition and decision-making structures a central issue in broader debates about UN reform. The UN says the intergovernmental negotiations on Council reform address questions, including equitable representation and an increase in membership.
South Africa's push for reform forms part of its broader call for a multilateral system that is more representative and responsive to current global challenges.
Nkosi said the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, who is leading the South African delegation to UNGA81, will outline the country's positions on a range of international issues during the General Debate.
He said the reform of the United Nations, along with peace and security, the global economy, climate change, artificial intelligence governance and the selection of a new UN Secretary-General, would feature in South Africa's engagements during the high-level week. - SAnews.gov.za
