Riyaz Patel
International Relations Minister Naledi Pandor has warned that dealing decisively with the threats of poverty would fail unless the structure of the global economy was transformed, while strongly raising the question of reforming the UN Security Council (UNSC).
“We remain gravely concerned that 74 years after the founding of the UN, key decisions on peace and security are de-facto the domain of only five countries.”
Addressing delegates at the 74th United Nations General Assembly Debate in New York, South Africa’s most senior diplomat said twenty years of discussions on reform of the Security Council have “yielded no movement towards a more representative and inclusive body.”
“We believe that the time has come for the broader membership to heed the overwhelming call for Africa to obtain at least two permanent seats, with all the prerogatives of permanent membership, as well as five non-permanent seats.”
Pandor also expressed South Africa’s solidarity with the people of Palestine, Cuba and Western Sahara.
“We feel ashamed that for over 70 years, the people of Palestine have lived under occupation… As the international community, we must urge for a negotiated settlement of this longstanding conflict.”
Her address rounds off a week of frantic shuttle diplomacy as South Africa seeks to reposition itself on the international stage, and coincides with Pretoria assuming the Presidency of the UN Security Council for the month of October.
Pandor indicated that South Africa would use its term to advocate for the peaceful settlement of disputes and inclusive dialogue, embodying the legacy of Nelson Mandela towards the objective of ‘silencing the guns on the African continent by 2020.’
She also used the UN platform to speak about the recent incidents of violence and looting in the country, describing it as “shameful and regrettable” while reaffirming the South African government’s commitment to root out racism, xenophobia and related intolerances.
Pandor was particularly strong against intolerance in her address to the 193-member Assembly.
“The intolerance of other nations; intolerance towards human beings, particularly women and children, and intolerance against the environment that sustains us all,” she underlined.
Pointing to a world facing a myriad of challenges, she restated Pretoria’s position for the preservation of a rules-based multilateral system with the UN at the helm.
