UNITED NATIONS, Sept 9 (IPS) – At most international forums, including the annual high-level debate of the UN General Assembly, Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio consistently highlights the injustices of the global system, particularly Africa’s absence from the permanent category and under-representation in the non-permanent category of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
President Bio is the coordinator of the African Union Committee of Ten Heads of State and Government for the Reform of the UN Security Council, better known as C-10. This is a platform he uses to amplify his advocacy for reform of the UN Security Council.
This year he has been particularly vocal, as Sierra Leone currently holds a non-permanent seat on the Security Council and chairs the Council for the entire month of August.
For example, in his statement in the Security Council chambers on August 12, President Bio highlighted the outdated nature of the current structure of the UN Security Council. “The current structure of the Security Council reflects an outdated world order, an era that fails to recognize the growing importance and contributions of Africa,” he noted.
In a later interview with Renewal of Africathe President pointed out that the continent is home to 1.3 billion people and 54 of the 193 UN member states – a significant portion of the global community.
“We cannot just be a territory for proxy wars. We know what our problems are and we should have a say in how we solve them,” he asserted, adding that more than 60 percent of the issues discussed in the Security Council relate to Africa.
It is unjust that Africa is being sidelined in the 21st century, he argued. He declared: “I call on all African leaders and all those who stand for justice and democracy around the world to fight this injustice.”
As the UN prepares to celebrate its 80th anniversary in 2025, President Bio said the celebration would only be meaningful if the current composition of the Council were reformed, echoing the frustration of many African leaders who feel the continent’s concerns are often overlooked.
Africa’s demands
Africa is demanding at least two permanent seats on the UN Security Council and two additional non-permanent seats, bringing the total number of non-permanent seats to five.
Furthermore, Africa advocates the abolition of the veto. However, if the veto is retained, President Bio insisted that it should be extended to all new permanent members as a matter of fairness.
The president divided potential support for Africa’s bid for greater representation in the Security Council into two categories: support from within the continent itself and support from major world powers.
While support from within the continent is self-evident, he acknowledged the challenges of the P-5 (the five permanent members of the Security Council), who wield enormous power in the Council. “The main problem we have is the P-5. They are the ones manning the gate. They have to let us in.”
Despite these challenges, he was encouraged by the fact that “they recognize that Africa is being treated unfairly.”
He stressed: “There is a new spirit; the world has changed and leaders have come and gone. What I am trying to do is to convince my colleagues in Africa and the world at large that the injustice that is being done to Africa cannot be accepted.”
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has backed African demands for reform of the UN Security Council. “We cannot accept that the world’s foremost peace and security body has no permanent voice for a continent of over a billion people — a young and rapidly growing population — who make up 28 percent of the United Nations membership,” Guterres said at the meeting on August 12.
He added: “We also cannot accept that African positions are underestimated when it comes to peace and security, both on the continent and in the rest of the world.”
In order to ensure the full credibility and legitimacy of the Council, he stressed the importance of “heeding the long-standing calls of the UN General Assembly, various geographical groups – from the Arab Group to the Benelux, the Nordic countries and the CARICOM countries – and some permanent members of this Council itself, to correct this injustice.”
I call on all African leaders and all those who stand up for justice and democracy worldwide to fight this injustice.
Lessons from the civil war in Sierra Leone
The brutal civil war in Sierra Leone (1991-2002) may have influenced President Bio’s views on conflict resolution and international diplomacy.
“After all the fighting, after all the destruction, we resolved our problems at the negotiating table,” he reflected, stressing the importance of dialogue and consensus building.
He drew on the experience of Sierra Leone and saw Africa as playing a major role in global peace and security. “We learned a great deal: partnership, multilateralism, dialogue and the need to build consensus.
“What we are putting forward in the UN Security Council is how we can build a bridge, how we can support multilateralism as a way to achieve peace and security around the world.”
Empowerment of women
In addition to global governance, Sierra Leone has adopted progressive gender policies under the leadership of President Bio. For example, the country has passed a law which stipulates, among other things, that at least 30 percent of positions in both the private and public sectors, including in the cabinet, must be held by women. This is a major step towards gender equality.
Earlier this year, Sierra Leone also passed a law banning child marriage.
“It would be wrong for us to talk about development if we kept more than half the population in the kitchen or did not give them enough power to be part of the force that is going to change the nation,” he stated.
Empowering women, he stressed, begins with education. This focus on education is part of a broader strategy to transform Sierra Leone’s human capital, which President Bio considers the country’s most valuable resource.
He said: “When you talk about Sierra Leone, you think of diamonds, gold and other natural resources. I have said to my country: yes, these are precious minerals, but the most important resource we have in this country is the people.”
Climate change
As the leader of one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries, President Bio highlighted Sierra Leone’s challenges in dealing with increasingly extreme weather events. “When it rains, it rains so hard that it overloads infrastructure. We’ve seen cars floating, we’ve seen houses washed away,” he noted, drawing parallels with similar disasters in more developed countries.
In response, Sierra Leone has launched a nationwide climate action campaign focused on reforestation, improving drainage systems and educating the public about the importance of the environment.
“Tackling climate change requires collective action, both locally and globally,” he stressed.
On the issue of capital flight from Africa, President Bio stressed his deep sense of pride in African identity and potential. He urged Africans to acquire knowledge and skills from the West and take those lessons back to build their societies in Africa.
“Home is home. Nobody is going to fix that home. We have to fix that home,” he insisted.
Source: Africa Renewal
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© Inter Press Service (2024) — All rights reservedOriginal source: Inter Press Service