Important African Meeting in Algeria to Reform the Security Council

The common African position represents an important asset that reflects the collective will of the 55 member states of the African Union and aims in particular to correct the historical injustice imposed on the continent, the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Community Abroad, Lounes Magramane, said here on Sunday.

Magramane added in an address, during the opening of the preparatory meeting of experts for the 11th ministerial meeting of the Committee of 10 Heads of State and Governments of the African Union for the Reform of the United Nations Security Council, which will be held on Monday, that “the widespread support enjoyed by the common African position among member states of the United Nations and groups of the various interests are in serious recognition of the legitimacy and importance of Africa’s demand as stipulated in the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration.”

He explained that the Algeria meeting “is being held at a critical stage fraught with great risks, the latest of which is evident in the Israeli occupation continuing to defy UN Security Council resolutions and mocking international law and the decisions of the International Court of Justice, despite global condemnation and numerous international calls to take immediate and effective measures to stop the brutal aggression in Gaza.”

Magramane noted that “reforming the United Nations Security Council has become more than ever an absolute necessity. Also, advancing the intergovernmental negotiation process in this regard is of the utmost importance.”

In this context, the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Community Abroad recalled the assertion of the President of the Republic, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, on several occasions, including his address before the United Nations General Assembly in New York at its 78th session last September, that “advancing the wheel of intergovernmental negotiations on Security Council reform under an integrated and comprehensive approach should be a priority for the international group to reach a consensus on real reform that is more representative and transparent, which calls here for affirming Algeria’s commitment to the unified African position to put an end to the historical injustice against the African continent.”

In conclusion, he called on all participants “to seize the opportunity of this meeting to give great momentum to collective endeavours and advance the common position to win the bet and realize the hopes of the African peoples.”

For her part, the Director-General and Ambassador-At-Large of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Sierra Leone, Victoria Mangay Sulimani, affirmed that “the 11th Ministerial Meeting will continue to advance the cause of the Just Community by being permanently represented in the UN Security Council,” and, by the way, she called on all representatives of the participating countries to “consider the precise topic that will be placed in the ministerial program so that tomorrow’s recommendations will be at the level of activating this support for the unified African position and affirm the unified African demands and rights to correct and lift the injustice and oppression that has been imposed on the African continent.”

In this context, she noted that “Africa remains committed to one voice to reform the UN Security Council.”

The preparatory meeting of experts continued during the evening, through closed sessions, including a current presentation on the intergovernmental negotiations, in addition to presenting, discussing, studying and adopting the final document.

It should be noted that the Committee of Ten was formed in 2005 and consists of 10 African countries, namely Algeria, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Kenya, Libya, Namibia, Uganda, Sierra Leone, Senegal and Zambia. Its mission is to promote and support the unified African position in the ongoing governmental negotiations within the framework of the United Nations regarding Security Council reform.