A permanent seat on the UN Security Council is something that the African Union (AU) has once again demanded.
African Union (AU) President Macky Sall remarked at the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday, "It is time to go over the reluctance and dismantle the narratives that continue in restricting Africa to the fringes of decision-making circles."
According to him, the Ezulwini Consensus, which reflects Africa's right and legitimate request for Security Council reform, is what has to be done.
A stance on international affairs and UN reform adopted by the African Union is known as the Ezulwini Consensus. It demands the creation of a more democratic and representative Security Council that includes a representative from Africa as well as every other continent.
The UN Security Council has only five permanent members: China, Russia, UK, US, and France.
According to the AU chairman, “it is time for a fairer, more inclusive global governance, that is more adapted to the realities of our time.”
He also said Africa should be granted a seat in the G20, so that it can finally be represented where decisions that affect 1.4 billion Africans are being taken.
Mr Sall, the President of Senegal, also called for the lifting of foreign sanctions on Zimbabwe.
He described them as harsh measures that continue to fuel a sense of injustice against an entire people, and to aggravate their suffering in these times of deep crisis.
According to the US, the sanction is targeted at Zimbabwean individuals and entities responsible for committing human rights abuses, undermining democratic processes, or facilitating corruption.
On climate change, Mr Sall said, “it is legitimate, fair and equitable that Africa, the continent that pollutes the least and lags furthest behind in the industrialisation process, should exploit its available resources to provide basic energy, improve the competitiveness of its economy and achieve universal access to electricity.”
He encouraged countries to work towards mobilising the $100 billion per year to support developing countries’ adaptation efforts and to finance the African Adaptation Acceleration Program under the auspices of the AfDB and the Global Centre for Adaptation.
He said Africa does not see adaptation funding as aid, but as a contribution by industrialised countries to a global partnership of solidarity, in return for efforts by developing countries to avoid the polluting patterns that have plunged the planet into the current climate emergency.