Africa will dominate the United Nations Security Council agenda in July. The 15-nation body, under the presidency of Greek ambassador Adamantios Vassilakis, will discuss the Ethiopia and Eritrea boundary deadlock. Later in the month it will hear oral evidence on the Democratic Republic of Congo, address the relocation woes of the Somali government and be briefed on the humanitarian and political situation in Darfur. This after recent deliberations focused on restructuring and reconstruction in the Central African Republic. Africa easily accounts for up to 70% of its work.
But this week continental leaders gathered in Sirte at the African Union summit decided discretion was the better part of valour when dealing with a potentially thorny issue of deciding who should represent it on a reformed security council.
There are fears this stance will put the continent at odds with its most important donor countries and reduce the chances of proponents for reform gaining a critical mass of support at this time.
The AU stood by its call for two permanent seats with veto rights and five non-permanent seats for the continent in a reformed Council after their foreign ministers deadlocked on the issue last weekend.
Germany, Japan, Brazil and India, which have all firmly declared their candidacy, were hoping to be joined by two clearly identified African aspirants.
They maintain this is vital if the reformists are to prevail before the world turns its attention to the pressing business of meeting the Millennium Development Goals.
African leaders would concentrate their energies on getting the seats first, Minister of Foreign Affairs Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma was quoted on the government website as saying.
South Africa, Egypt and Nigeria are the leading contenders for the seat. Nigeria has set up a Presidential committee headed by former military leader Abdulsalami Abubakar for sensitising its citizenry of its ambitions.
”Why get into a cat fight unnecessarily? The decision not to name names is a glimmer of practicality that harks back to Pan-African political correctness,” Professor of International Relations at Wits University John Stremlau told the Mail & Guardian.
”There is no serious prospect of the UN Charter being reformed. This would require a two-third majority in the UN General Assembly and after that the matter goes back to the countries’ parliaments for ratification.
”There are so many political interests at play. When last I looked China wasn’t at all happy about the whole idea of UN reform. Certainly it doesn’t want Japan as a permanent member of the Security Council.
”The United States is saying it can understand Japan’s claim but why should there be another European permanent member?
”Italy doesn’t want Germany either. Pakistan doesn’t want India and Mexico is opposed to Brazil.
”We all know the UN needs reform. It’s an anachronism. But the whole organisation needs reform. The high-level committee report on this ran to more than 100 pages with only one-and-a-half pages referring to the Security Council.”
Eddie Maloka, chief director of the Africa Institute of South Africa says Africa will probably leave it to the General Assembly to select its candidates.
”The other regions — Europe, Asia and Latin America will probably have to do this too because there is so much dissent over who should occupy the seats.
”Gaining permanent membership really lifts the geopolitical rating of a country globally. But to occupy a seat the country has to have the capacity.
This makes huge economic demands on any country.
”Africa shouldn’t allow opposition to veto powers at this stage to spoil the claim for two permanent seats.”
What went down
The 53-nation African Union took a hard line at the close of their summit adopting a common position to seek across-the-board debt forgiveness. The price tag on this is $350-billion. The declaration called on the G8 to fulfil past promises made to help Africa end poverty and increase development and investment. Moammar Gadaffi’s warning not to ”beg at the doorstep to reduce debt” was brushed aside.
A demand was made for all agricultural subsidies to be dropped and for greater access for African produce to world markets.
According to Angolan ambassador Nelson Cosme, it was agreed that South Africa, Libya, Algeria, Nigeria and Egypt pay contributions amounting to 75% of the AU budget for 2005, and the other countries the remaining 25%.
African leaders also vowed to end armed conflicts across the continent by 2010, achieve political stability, fight terror, drug smuggling, and ensure transparency and democracy.
The AU reaffirmed its support for Palestine. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas attended the summit.
In January 2006 Nigerian resident Olusegun Obasanjo will hand over the AU reins to his Sudanese counterpart when the body meets in Khartoum. — Jean-Jacques Cornish