12 August 2024
Your Excellency, Julius Maada Bio, President of the Republic of Sierra Leone,
Mr. António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations,
Ms. Sithembile Mbete,
Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates,
Let me begin by expressing my sincere gratitude to His Excellency, Julius Maada Bio – President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, and to the Permanent Mission of Sierra Leone to the United Nations – for the kind invitation to participate in this important open debate.
I applaud the choice of theme – “Addressing the historical injustice and enhancing Africa’s effective representation in the Security Council”, – and welcome the decision to also bring an esteemed voice of civil society, Ms. Sithembile Mbete, into the conversation, so ensuring a more fulsome exploration of the issues.
For my part, this is just the kind of inclusion which I have sought to promote in the work programme of the General Assembly throughout my Presidency – and I encourage further deepened collaboration with relevant stakeholders.
Excellencies,
Indeed, today’s topic speaks to the urgent – and long overdue – need to reform the Security Council.
A call that resonates too well with Africa as the region that continues to bear the predominant brunt of conflict – and Sierra Leone itself, which has endured but overcome peace and security challenges of its own.
And a call that grows louder by the day – as the world grapples with crisis after crisis with the pressure continuously mounting on the United Nations as an organization.
That unacceptable state of affairs, in turn, calls upon this Council – working in close collaboration with the General Assembly – to do much more to take decisive action in the face of recurring violence and unbearable human suffering.
As you know better than most, our world is mired in myriad challenges.
From conflict and climate change to the advent of new masterful technological innovations that are transforming virtually on a daily basis, every facet of human existence – the world today is much different than it was in 1945.
It is a world in which now 193 Member States make up the United Nations – up considerably from the 50 that gathered in San Francisco to establish it in 1947.
It is a world demanding that institutions adapt to current realities – and at the scale and pace required to create meaningful change in people’s lives.
Amid these pressures, there are legitimate growing calls for a Security Council that is more representative, more responsive, more democratic, and indeed more transparent.
There are as well accompanying calls for a revitalized General Assembly that not only assumes a greater role in peace and security matters, but also holds the Security Council as the primary custodian of international security, more accountable for its actions – and indeed inaction.
Excellencies,
For Africa, peace is the key to unlocking its full and extraordinary potential.
During my official visits to the continent, I have seen firsthand the consequences of the absence of peace and the importance of the UN’s work on the ground.
In South Sudan, in particular, I had the privilege of engaging directly with representatives of internally displaced persons – and also spending time with the entities and Blue Helmets proudly serving with the United Nations Mission in the Republic of South Sudan (UNMISS).
Beyond continental shores, I met with political leaders in Haiti about the deployment of a Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS), led by Kenya, following the adoption of Council resolution 2699.
A strengthened role for African countries in addressing global security and development challenges is paramount – as the Council’s presidential statement, adopted unanimously in May, makes clear.
Africa is home to 54 of the 193 members of the United Nations.
The continent accounts for 1.3 billion of the world’s people, hosts the majority of UN peacekeeping operations – and consistently provides four of the top 10 countries contributing their nationals to the ranks of the Blue Helmets.
The fact that Africa continues to be manifestly underrepresented on the Security Council is simply wrong, offending as it does both the principles of equity and inclusion.
It runs counter to the principle of sovereign equality of States – and calls for urgency to reform this institution to reflect the world as it is now, rather than what it was nearly 80 years ago.
Excellencies,
Let me close by informing that, for its part, the General Assembly is actively engaged in this important issue – in the context the Intergovernmental Negotiations (IGN).
It is encouraging that Member States do not deny this historical injustice – and we are seeing that momentum is building for change.
During the latest iteration of the IGN process, discussions on the five clusters and models supported the strengthening of Africa’s representation in the Council.
As an important outcome of the IGN session, it is further encouraging that the current draft of the input to the Pact of the Future refers to Africa’s historical injustice as matter of a priority – and treating Africa as a special case.
I am pleased that most Member States agree that reform of the Council must answer this call.
In the end, I hope this actually means something to finally address this historical injustice – and will not stand simply as empty pledges without action.
Because the question of Africa’s effective representation on the Security Council speaks directly to the credibility of the United Nations itself – as an inclusive and democratic organization.
As the global institution at the heart of our multilateral system, fighting to deliver global public goods – including peace and security – we cannot continue to take the relevance of the United Nations for granted.
We must earn it, daily, with the actions we take – including meaningful reform – if we are to move our institution forward and establish its credibility among the publics we serve.
I commend Sierra Leone’s prioritization of the issue of equitable representation in the Security Council, and its emphasis on prevention and proactive action in addressing peace and security challenges.
I also take this opportunity to encourage all Member States to continue to contribute constructively to the IGN process, under the auspices of the General Assembly.
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.
I thank you.