South Africa’s responsibility as a member of the United Nations Security Council to live up to the expectations of the African people and the rest of the world community does not rest solely with government, President Thabo Mbeki said on Friday.
The country’s virtually unanimous election to serve as a non-permanent member on the Security Council for two years confirmed and underlined the confidence the world had in democratic South Africa, he said in his weekly newsletter on the ANC’s website.
He said this meant the country should continue doing that which gave the nations of the world confidence in South Africa as an important force in the struggle to build a new world order for the good of all humanity.
These included South Africa’s deep-seated respect for democracy, human rights, peace and stability, non-racialism and non-sexism and commitments to the African renaissance. It also included peace in the world and peaceful resolution of international disputes, an equitable world order, and ensuring that globalisation served the interests of the poor of the world.
”The responsibility facing our government as a member of the UNSC [United Nations Security Council], to live up to the expectations of the African people and the rest of the world community, does not rest solely with the government,” Mbeki said.
”It is a national task to which we must respond in unity, inspired by the sentiment native to all our people, encapsulated in the spirit of ubuntu, that with regard to all humanity, we are truly one another’s brothers’ and sisters’ keepers.
”Pride in ourselves and our country and a shared and new patriotism must surely tell all of us, regardless of any political or other affiliation and identity, that when we end our privileged tour of duty as a member of the 15-member UNSC on December 31 2008, we will be immensely honoured to hear all humanity saying — thank you South Africa for everything you did to strive to make ours a better and safer world for all,” Mbeki said. – Sapa