AU members to discuss reforms at UNSC

Kenya will host a meeting of the 10 Africa Union member states aimed at pushing for reforms at the UN Security Council (UNSC) next week, the country's foreign ministry announced Saturday.

A statement from the ministry of foreign affairs and international trade said the AU Committee of Ten (C-10) on reform of the UNSC, which will kick off in Nairobi Monday, will be attended by Sierra Leone, Algeria, Congo Brazzaville, Equatorial Guinea, Kenya, Libya, Namibia, Senegal, Uganda and Zambia.

"The C-10 meeting in Nairobi will prepare a common position to be submitted for adoption in the next Summit of the Africa Union," Xinhua quoted the foreign ministry as saying.

Already, the African Common Position enjoys broad support from the wider UN membership and other reform-minded interest groups. The C-10 is spearheading Africa's desire for reforms of the UN Security Council and its expansion from 15 to 26 seats that will include two permanent seats and two new non-permanent seats for Africa.

The African Common Position, also known as Ezulwini Consensus, proposes that all members in the permanent category should have veto power. However, it holds that the veto should be abolished if the new members are not accorded the same privileges as the current permanent five member countries.

"The African Common Position continues to serve as the only viable option that reflects Africa's legitimate right and aspiration to address the historical injustices endured by the continent," the statement said.

Kenya is already lobbying Western nations to support its candidature for the seat of the non-permanent member of the UNSC for the period 2017-2018.

The statement said the C-10 continued to intensify efforts in advocating, canvassing and promoting the African Common Position at the highest political levels for the purpose of garnering and galvanising the necessary political will to effect desired reforms.

"There is growing momentum in New York to move UN Security Council reform process to the level of text based negotiations," the statement said.

The UNSC is now more important than ever to Africa, particularly concerning matters of intervention in the conflicts occurring within the region. These decisions will become more legitimate and easier to implement if they are made through democratic processes, the AU argues.