African seats on Security Council 'non-negotiable'

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Nairobi, Kenya
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18 August 2005 01:10
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Africa's demand for two permanent veto-wielding seats on an expanded United Nations Security Council is non-negotiable and must be met if the world is serious about improving conditions on the continent, Kenya said on Thursday.

One of seven nations to have put itself forward for the seats being called for by the African Union, Kenya said Security Council expansion as part of broader UN reform is essential for world body's continued relevance.

The proposed reforms ... will finally institutionalise Africa's capacity to bring its viewpoint and perspective to international decisions that affect the continent and influence the fate of its people, Vice-President Moody Awori said.

The expansion of the Security Council to include two permanent African seats is of particular relevance, he told a conference in Nairobi ahead of a September 14 to 16 summit of world leaders on UN reform before the annual General Assembly.

Now, more than ever, Africans must be seen as masters of their own destiny and not just a continent of people in need of help, Awori said.

Africans have a clear vision of what they wish to achieve, what they can achieve and how they wish to go about it, and this is a vision that must be recognised and given a clearer and more authoritative voice within the Security Council and the General Assembly, he said.

Awori's comments come as a deadlock, caused by deep disagreements over the possible expansion of the council, threatens a September deadline for consensus on reforms set by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan.

Annan conceded last week that his timeframe was unlikely to be met, but urged UN members to make every effort to come to conclusions by the end of the year.

Expanding the Security Council from its current 15 members -- five permanent and 10 elected -- has become an extremely contentious issue in the past few months with competing proposals running into bitter opposition from numerous corners.

The most promising plan had appeared to be that of the so-called G4 -- Brazil, Germany, India and Japan -- which called for boosting council membership to 25, with six new permanent non-veto-wielding seats -- one for each of the G4 nations and two for Africa -- and four non-permanent seats.

But the proposal is opposed by permanent council members China and the United States, and the AU rejected a G4 request to support the plan, sticking to its earlier demand for veto power for the new permanent members.

Support for any proposal from the 53-member AU is crucial as the reforms must win the support of a two-thirds majority in the 191-member General Assembly for adoption. -- Sapa-AFP