Leaders agree on UNSC seats

2005-07-05 22:33

Sirte - African Union (AU) heads of state and government have unanimously adopted a common position on the representation of their continent on the United Nations security council, resolving to ask for two permanent seats with veto rights.

"The text of the declaration and the resolution that will be submitted to the UN were adopted by the presidents on Monday night.

"They debated the question at length but they are in agreement on the main point: Africa should obtain two permanent seats with veto rights on the (UN) security council," said an AU official who wished to remain anonymous.

"We intend to ask unanimously for the two UN security council seats," said Rwandan foreign minister Charles Murigande on the second day of the fifth ordinary summit in Libya.

Asking for two seats

According to a draft resolution, the African states intend to call for the allocation of "two permanent seats with full privileges including veto rights and five non-permanent seats on the security council".

The final text of the declaration and the resolution will only be made public at the official ceremony, scheduled for Tuesday afternoon.

Throughout the summit AU leaders have consistently called on their peers to present a united front in their dealings with other world bodies.

"We reaffirm our commitment to ensure the success, in unity and solidarity, of our common position with a view to enabling Africa to choose its representatives in the security council to act in its name and on its behalf", the leaders said in their draft declaration on UN reform.

The principle of calling for two permanent UN security council seats was established by foreign ministers from 15 African countries at Ezulwini in Swaziland on February 22 before being adopted unanimously by the AU's 53 member states in early March.

Determining who gets the seats

Eight countries have officially declared themselves candidates for the two security council seats Africa may or may not get in the framework of a broader reform of the UN.

The draft resolution also calls for the strengthening of the (UN) secretariat in the sense of greater efficiency and increased representation for Africa and, at the instigation of Libya, for the beefing up of "the leadership of the UN general assembly to enable it to fulfil its role as the most representative and democratic organ of the UN system".

Another point on which the leaders are thought to have reached agreement is that five AU members should contribute 65% of the pan-African body's budget, delegates said on condition of anonymity. Libya, the summit's host, South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt and Algeria will each contribute 15% of the AU's budget.

This final point is thought to have caused some fears on the part of smaller member nations that their voices will not be heard if five members out of 53 shoulder such a large percentage of the budget.

- AFP