African Union Summit: President Tebboune Outlines Africa’s 4 Priorities for UN Security Council Reform
BY: Hana Saada
ALGIERS- In his address delivered by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ahmed Attaf, during the 5th Summit of the Group of Ten (G10) in Equatorial Guinea on Friday, President Abdelmadjid Tebboune outlined four priorities that Africa should advocate for with a unified voice in the ongoing government negotiations on the United Nations Security Council reform process.
“Our continental position must affirm, first and foremost, the need to correct the historical injustice towards the African continent, as it is the only absent member in the category of permanent members and the least represented in the category of non-permanent members,” stated President Tebboune. He emphasized the urgency of addressing the reform of the UN Security Council with the “greatest diligence” due to the significant reasons that brought the issue to the forefront of the international debate.
The President added that secondly, the African position “must confirm the need for a reform process that will restore the effectiveness and capacity of the Council to act in the face of growing threats to international peace and security.”
Continuing, he noted in the third place that “what is needed is a comprehensive and integrated reform project that goes beyond the limited scope of the accession expansion process to include all substantive issues related to the methods and workings of the Council, the use of the veto, and the interaction between the Council and central international organizations.”
President Tebboune concluded with the fourth priority, stating that “it is necessary to adhere to the United Nations General Assembly and the government negotiations taking place under its auspices as a comprehensive and consensual framework for managing the Security Council reform dossier.”
President Tebboune Reiterates Algeria’s Commitments
President Tebboune also reaffirmed Algeria’s commitments during his speech. “I affirm Algeria’s permanent adherence and firm commitment to the common African position as stipulated in the Ezulwini Consensus and the Syrte Declaration,” declared the President. He emphasized Algeria’s support for the increased backing of UN member states for the African common position, led by the President of Sierra Leone.
“The Algeria confirms that it will work during its upcoming accession to the Security Council in coordination with its African brothers from the Republic of Sierra Leone and the Republic of Mozambique to strengthen the voice of our continent within this central international body and defend the concerns, interests, and aspirations of our countries collectively under the banner of the African Union,” added President Tebboune.
