Pakistan has called for rectifying historical injustices by enhancing the representation of Africa within the UN Security Council as part of the reform process to make the 15-member body more effective, inclusive and accountable to combat the growing challenges.
“We acknowledge the historic injustice against Africa, its occupation, oppression and exploitation, and in the structure of the Security Council of the other international institutions,” Ambassador Munir Akram, permanent representative of Pakistan to the UN, told the Council. The Pakistani envoy was speaking at a high-level debate on addressing the historical injustice and enhancing Africa’s effective representation on the Security Council, convened by Sierra Leone, the Council President for the month of August. The Security Council is currently composed of five permanent members — Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States — and 10 non-permanent members elected to serve for two years.
Pakistan, he said, agrees that Africa’s demand, set out in the “Ezulwini Consensus” for equitable representation of the region of Africa, stressing that it is critically different from the demand of four States — India, Brazil, Germany and Japan — who are campaigning for permanent membership of the Security Council for “themselves”. “The demands of Africa for regional seats are designed to rectify injustice not to exacerbate injustice,” Ambassador Akram said, noting that Council’s structure reflects the 1945 power realities.
The Pakistani envoy proposed the creation of “special regional seats” to enhance equitable geographical representation, suggesting that these seats could be rotated among member states within the region or even represented by regional organizations like the African Union, the European Union, the Arab League, and the OIC.
At the same time, he reiterated Pakistan’s stand against adding more veto-wielding permanent members, pointing out that in recent months the Security Council’s frequent inability to take effective collective action, especially in ending the Israeli war in Gaza.
“More vetoes will multiply the prospects of paralysis in the Council. It is for this reason that Pakistan has opposed the addition of new permanent members on the Security Council.” The Pakistani envoy said the African position that either the veto power of the existing 5 permanent members should be abolished and, if not, the African permanent seats should be given the same veto rights was “understandable”
But, he said, the question is whether the 5 permanent members will be willing to give up their veto rights and, if not, whether the veto power can be provided to the designated regional seats, as demanded by Africa. In the course of Friday’s meeting, some permanent members publicly expressed support for new permanent members, but Ambassador Akram said during consultations some of them conveyed that they are not prepared to give up their veto right. “And,” he added, “they are also not prepared to accept the veto power for new ‘permanent’ members including any new African permanent members.”
“Unfortunately, each one of these permanent members is in a position to block the adoption of a UN Charter amendment that seeks to take away their veto rights or give this right to others,” he said, urging consideration of alternative ways
In this regard, Ambassador Akram said The Uniting for Consensus (UfC), of which Pakistan is a leader, has proposed the concept of longer term and re-electable seats within each region.
“If Africa, and other regions, and cross-regions, were to contemplate some form of rotation of representation against their ‘special’/ ‘permanent’ seats, this objective could be achieved through the concept of longer-term and/or re-electable seats. The States occupying these longer term or re-electable seats could be selected or designated by the region or cross-region itself.
If veto right cannot be abolished, he said that equity demands that it must be severely constrained, noting “considerable support” for the proposition that the 5 permanent members should be persuaded to offer commitments not to use the veto in the case of the genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Other ways to balance the influence of the permanent members include ensuring that the representation of developing countries is significantly enhanced, in proportion to their numbers in the UN membership, and that they enjoy a majority in an expanded Council as they do in the General Assembly, he said, highlighting that majority in the Security Council would enhance the influence of the developing countries and the Council’s elected members.
“Thus, expansion should be large enough – the UfC has proposed a Council of 27 members – to ensure that developing countries have a majority in the Council. Ambassador Akram said. “The objective of equitable geographical representation may also dictate a concomitant reduction in the size of an over-represented region.”
Pakistan, he said, was confident of evolving an agreed model for Security Council reform, and accommodate Africa as a special case by adopting the regional approach. “This will require a spirit of flexibility and compromise from all sides,” the Pakistani envoy added. Opening the debate, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for urgent reform of the Security Council, criticizing its outdated structure and lack of representation for Africa, which he argued undermines the body’s credibility and global legitimacy.
He emphasized that its composition reflected the balance of power at the end of World War Two and has failed to keep pace with a changing world.
In 1945, most of today’s African countries were still under colonial rule and had no voice in international affairs, he said.
“We cannot accept that the world preeminent peace and security body lacks a permanent voice for a continent of well over a billion people nor can we accept that Africa’s views are undervalued on questions of peace and security, both on the continent and around the world.”
Guterres underscored the need for redress.
The secretary-general recalled his policy brief, New Agenda for Peace, launched in July last year. That framework lies at the heart of negotiations over the Pact of the Future, which is to be adopted at next month’s Summit of the Future.
“The Summit provides a critical opportunity to make progress on these issues, and help ensure that all countries can meaningfully participate in global governance structures as equals,” the UN chief told the Council.
“I urge all Member States to attend and contribute their views and ideas so that African voices are heard, African initiatives are supported, and African needs are met,” he urged. Following Guterres’s remarks, Dennis Francis, President of the General Assembly, also addressed the Security Council. He highlighted Africa’s key role in global peace and security, further underscoring the need for reform.
He drew on his own visits, citing firsthand experiences in South Sudan, where he met a few weeks ago with internally displaced persons (IDPs) and witnessed the vital work of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). Francis also pointed out that the General Assembly is actively addressing the issue through intergovernmental negotiations, and urged Member States to engage constructively towards substantial reform. “Our objective is to create solutions, along a well-designed process. And most importantly, to win back the trust and the confidence of we the peoples of the United Nations,” he said, recounting the first words of the Preamble of the UN Charter.
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