By Simon Nare
President Cyril Ramaphosa has reiterated calls for reform at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), saying it is “no longer fit and adequate” to address modern day challenges.
Ramaphosa, who was addressing the plenary session of the UN’s Summit of the Future, said it had been 70 years since the UNSC had been established and it largely remained unchanged.
“We live in a world where the threats and risks to international peace and security are multi-faceted, complex and ever evolving,” he said.
“Placing the fate of the world’s security in the hands of a select few when it is the vast majority who bear the brunt of these threats is unjust, unfair and unsustainable.”
Ramaphosa said the Summit of the Future must bridge the development divide and provide practical solutions to the challenges of today and tomorrow.
He said the Pact for the Future, which is expected to be adopted at the end of the meeting, was an opportunity to change and reinvigorate the multilateral system so that it was fit for purpose to address the challenges that the world faced.
“It is an opportunity to make good on our promises to reform the global governance architecture, including international financial institutions and the United Nations Security Council
“The Pact for the Future must be inclusive. It must be a global commitment that represents the views, concerns and interests of the Global South. It must build on existing obligations,” Ramaphosa said.
The summit forms part of the 79th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York. Leaders will address pressing global challenges and seek collaborative solutions for the betterment of humanity.
This year, the African Group will preside over the General Assembly under the theme: “Unity in diversity, for the advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for everyone everywhere.”
Ramaphosa will deliver his address on Tuesday, where he will highlight key issues, including international peace and security, climate change, financing for development, and health and pandemic preparedness.
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