President Lazarus Chakwera has kicked his journey at UN with a virtual address at the United Nations General Assembly (Unga) by reiterating the call
Chakwera: Africa from having representation in the decision-making organ of the global body
s his predecessor, Peter Mutharika, who advanced the need for Africa to have two permanent seats with veto power and five non-permanent seats in the Security Council.
At present, the Council has 15 members, five of whom are permanent—China, France, Russia, United Kingdom and United States—and which have the right of veto.
In his debut virtual address to the 75th UN General Assembly, Chakwera said Africa is concerned UN Security Council reforms.
“Malawi, therefore, reiterates the call for urgency in advancing these reforms with full representation of Africa in line with the Ezulwini Consensus of the African Union,” he said.
He added that “we need a UN that fully meets Africa’s needs in peace processes,” which can only be achieved if Africa is involved in making such decisions.
“In view of the incessant conflicts that are currently tearing down the African continent and retarding its progress, the reforms are long overdue,” he said.
Chakwera reminded the UN that Malawi and Africa are delivering on their share of responsibility to serve global humanity and also committed to continue contributing a battalion of the Malawi Defence Force to the UN Peacekeeping Mission under a SADC Force Intervention Brigade in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
Former Malawi leader Mutharika also suggested that, by denying Africa representation in the Security Council, the UN is reneging on the principles of democracy and equality that it preaches, therefore subjecting itself to criticism of hypocrisy and partial relevance.
This year’s UNGA is being held under the theme: ‘The future we want, the United Nations we need: Reaffirming our collective commitment to multilateralism- confronting Covid-19 through effective multilateral action.’
The UNGA, taking place in the New York City in the United States started on September 15 and winds up on September 30, 2020.
