The Democratic Alliance (DA) has urged the government to use the opportunity wisely when South Africa joins the United Nations Security Council next year.
”The DA welcomes President [Thabo] Mbeki’s announcement that South Africa will take up a two-year non-permanent seat on the Security Council in January 2007,” DA spokesperson Douglas Gibson said on Wednesday.
The African National Congress government has always been very keen to present itself as a major player when it comes to global security issues.
”The awarding of a Security Council seat to South Africa should thus give the country a forum in which it can live up to this billing.”
If the government is interested in winning the confidence of South Africans and the international community regarding its foreign policy, it should use this opportunity to lobby for issues such as nuclear disarmament and the promotion of African issues to the council, Gibson said.
President Thabo Mbeki on Tuesday said South Africa is to take up a two-year, non-permanent seat on the Security Council from January 1 next year.
Speaking at a press conference after talks with visiting Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin, he said he was looking forward to closer cooperation with Russia in this regard.
With South Africa on the Security Council, the country will need to take a much more detailed position than in the past, and the Russian experience, as a permanent member of the council, will ”help empower us to discharge our responsibilities”. — Sapa