BY MISGANAW ASNAKE
ADDIS ABABA-Africans should work aggressively on the Ezulwini Agenda, which envisions to secure appropriate representation in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), translated into a reality, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) made a call.
MoFA Spokesperson Ambassador Dina Mufti told the Ethiopian Press Agency (EPA) that even if the agenda was raised many times, it did not function well thereby requiring concerted efforts of every actor. To achieve this, Africans should think and act cooperatively in a sense of unity and if Africans hold one voice, there is no reason why they shouldn’t get proper representation in the UNSC.
The spokesperson stressed that the Ezulwini Agenda has lasted long and basically it is among the first and foremost issues to enable Africa to reach a higher level in international relations. Now is the time to carry out the campaign in a coordinated and meticulous manner.
“During the establishment of the UN, only victors of the Second World War entitled permanent seats and veto wielding power meanwhile Africans deprived the privilege as it was under the yoke of colonialism”
As social, political, economic, and diplomacy issues of international importance have been deliberated and decisions were made by the UNSC, Africa should entitle a permanent seat and veto wielding power as an active political entity, Dina urged.
As to the veteran diplomat, beyond exerting efforts to get an appropriate voice or seat, Africans should also make relations and communicate with one another to remain strong in global politics. To this end, Africans are expected to integrate in economy, trade and politics.
“Similarly, to forge constructive relations with the rest of the world, Africans needed to consolidate their cooperation. To take a stand on UN forums, they should stand united and to speak in one voice and to advance a mature position in any issues.”
Also, Africans should also work their assignment properly to tackle poverty, hunger and conflict to remove bad history from them, he remarked.
The adoption of Ezulwini Consensus promoted the two permanent seats and two non-permanent Security Council seats for the African States in the UN. It is to be recalled that the consensus was adopted at an Extraordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African Union at Addis Ababa in 2005.
The February 3/2022
