News Feature

The UN Reform and Africa's Position

        Africa has been for years regarded as a continent with a continental organization binding the countries, but as one that could not act in the sense of unity when it comes to internal as well as external issues that concern the whole continent.   

            Recent trends however show that this is being reversed for the better. Africa acted as one and voiced its economic concern at Cancun in 2003, and this has been continued in various meetings of the African Union, including the recently held Extraordinary Summit that dealt with the United Nations Reform, and Africa's position towards the reform.

            As issues of peace and security are of paramount importance to the continent, the place  Africa would have in the Security Council remains an important agenda for Africa.

            The main issue deliberated on 4 August 2005 at   the 4 th African Union   Extraordinary Summit was the place of Africa in the would-be reformed United Nations Organization in general and in the Security Council in particular.              

            During the Summit, African Heads of State came up with a conclusion that Africa should be represented with two permanent and five temporary seats in the United Nations Security Council. 

             It was agreed that the two permanent seats representing Africa should include veto power.

             As the only continent currently not having representation in the UN Security Council, the resolution reached is a major step forward in the continent's effort to challenge its marginalization.      

            In a press briefing Ethiopian Foreign Minister, Seyoum Mesfin gave, he pointed out that consensus has been reached by the participants of the summit on Africa's representation in the Security Council and that a 10 member committee represented by two Heads of State from each region of the continent has been set up to promote Africa's position in the Reform.    

            In his opening address of the Summit, current Head of the African Union and Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo stressed that the issue of the UN reform is the issue of development and good government to the continent.  

            Obasanjo further explained that the UN Structural Reform has paid special attention for Africa, and that the continent needs international support and cooperation in this regard. 

            Speaking on the objective of the meeting he said, "it was to confirm the understanding reached between the AU Follw-up Mechanism on the one hand, and the G-4 acting on behalf of the co-sponsors of the other draft resolution initiated by them so that both sides can jointly submit a common resolution to the General Assembly."

            The AU rejected the G-4's compromise formula, sticking to their demand for a Veto-wielding permanent seat on the UN Security Council.             

            Since its inception following World War II, the United Nations Organization has never seen structural reform until the idea now being discussed came forth more specifically and concretely.   

            Professor Kinfe Abrahm, President of the EIIPD, in an interview with this Newsletter explained that the establishenment of the UN was basically the victors' decision at the time most of Africa and Latin America was under colonial rule making the membership so limited and their say restricted. 

            " Throughout the decades there have been complaints about the undemocratic and unrepresentative nature of the UN system, particularly the Security Council. Countries have demanded that the Security Council be enlarged, and that the veto power should be waived", he said.  

            While 70 percent of the Security Council agenda relates to Africa's conflict, he said, having an increased representation on the Council is quite essential.

            Africa's position in the globalized world has often been peripheral. The continent is consequently marginalized in bigger issues like the above which are of great concern to the continent.  It is fulfilling that the idea of the UN reform was brought up by Africa, as this epitomizes the fact that Africa has come to its senses, united to tackle various global agenda to safeguard its national interest. 

            The Summit widely deliberated on the report of the Follow-up Mechanism Committee formed to communicate and promote the Africa common stand taken in the Ezulwini Consensus and Sirte Declaration. 

            According to the document from the meeting, South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Senegal, Swaziland and Sierra Leon had opted for flexibility of the Ezulwini Consensus whereas the rest of participant countries except Guinea voted for the continuation of the decision reached at the time.

     It was finally agreed in the Addis Ababa Summit that the position taken in the Ezulwini Consensus and Sirte Declaration be further continued. 

            The African States, however, have not yet come up with the two individual countries to represent Africa permanently and the rest five members.

            The Follow-up Mechanism Committee was decided to be replaced by a ten member   leaders' committee.

            The new committee will report its activities before the UN General Meeting to be held on September 2005. 

            Reflecting on the need to UN reform, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan wrote, " If the UN is to be a vehicle through which states can meet the challenges of today and tomorrow, it needs major reform to strengthen its relevance, effectiveness, and accountability".  

            Professor Kinfe adds that," The pressure for reform in the UN was predicated on enlarging the membership, rendering it more democratic and improving its overall efficiency". 

            Some scholars and think-tank analysts, however, argue that the present five-permanent members already burden the Council heavily and adding more members in the council would block future reform and make limitation of permanency far more difficult.  

            It is the view of some that the solution to the UN Reform should take    into consideration regional arrangements as these provide the best route to representation on the Council. Regional groups, they argue, can pool resources and policy coordination and take steps to make regionally elected states far more responsive to regionally agreed policy.           

            Standing united on issues that relate to the continent, the AU countries ensure whether the interests of the continent are safeguarded. Many agree, however, that such actions and engagements are not well communicated to their peoples.

            The African Union has been standing for the African cause. It endeavors for peace and security and the overall development of the countries and peoples of Africa. But while it vigorously dwells on such agenda to the benefit of the continent, AU efforts and activities, it seems, have not well reached the peoples due to lack of strengthened mechanism of sensibilization.

            The UN reform, if undertaken as the African countries have envisaged, will surely benefit the continent. 

            As Professor Kinfe says," It will benefit Africa greatly because it will have a greater say. It means it will be present in all vital discussions and issues that affect the continent .It will also mean that AU be enhanced as it would get the resource needed for the successful operation of its organs like the Peace and Security Council and the rest of the organs the AU formed". 

             President Obasonjo concludes," If all the elements of the decision are to bear fruit, we should recognize that UN institutional reform should enable the organization to play an important policy and coordinating role."