Kenya seeks Russia's support in Africa push for UN reforms

Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed. FILE PHOTO | ANTHONY OMUYA |  NATION MEDIA GROUP

In Summary

• The UN Security Council is the body within the UN that is charged with maintaining international peace and security.
• It is also charged with admitting new members to the UN and can approve any changes to the UN Charter, the formative law for the United Nations.
• The decision to start lobbying was reached last week in Zambia where foreign ministers of the C10 gathered to prepare a lobbying sheet.

By AGGREY MUTAMBO
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Kenya has kicked off Africa’s push for reforms in the United Nations’ most powerful arm by lobbying for Russia’s support, ahead of the UN's 70th anniversary.

At a meeting with Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed argued the current formation of the UN Security Council “does not reflect the dynamics of the 21st century.”

“We believe Africa’s underrepresentation and non-representation in UNSC is discriminatory, unfair and unjust,” she said in a statement on Thursday from Russia.

“Although Africa accounts for a third of UN, it is under-represented in non-permanent category and has no permanent representatives.”

The UN Security Council is the body within the UN that is charged with maintaining international peace and security. It is also charged with admitting new members to the UN and can approve any changes to the UN Charter, the formative law for the United Nations.

It has 15 members, but only five of them are permanent and hold veto powers. They include Russia, China, France, United Kingdom and the USA.

SUBSTANTIAL DECISIONS
The African continent, despite being the recipient of most declarations on peace and security, only has non-permanent members, who cannot influence substantial decisions.

Kenya is leading the lobbying for the Africa Common Position, a decision reached by the African Union Assembly in 2005.

Kenya is a member of the Committee of Ten Heads of State and Government (C10), which was established following the declaration by the AU to demand reforms within the AU.

Ms Mohamed who, is accompanied by Equatorial Guinea’s Foreign Minister Agapito Mokuy, said there will be a reciprocal benefit if Russia supports reforms to include two permanent African representatives with powers to veto.

“We can work in partnership and leverage Russia’s influential position to advance Africa’s quest for reform at UNSC,” she said.

“It’s our hope that the Russian Federation can use its influential position on the Security Council to help move forward the UNSC reform process,” added the Cabinet Secretary.

Next week, the two African ministers will travel to China in a bid to secure another vote for reforms.

The decision to start lobbying was reached last week in Zambia where foreign ministers of the C10 gathered to prepare a lobbying sheet.

They included those from Algeria, Libya, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Namibia, Zambia, Kenya, Uganda, Equatorial Guinea and Congo. Kenya and Equitorial Guinea were assigned the role of selling the reform idea to the P5.

MEMBERSHIP CHANGE

Africa’s bid to change the membership of the UNSC come as the UN General Assembly prepares to debate the UN system on its 70th meeting in New York in September.

Kenya is eying to take up one of the five non-permanent seats that are often given to the Africa region. It has sat on the UNSC twice before, in 1973 and in 1997, but these positions are mostly useful only if a decision has been backed by the P-5.

African countries accuse the P-5 of being undemocratic and using the UNSC to safeguard their interests.

In 2012 and 2013, Kenya was bitter after its two attempts to have cases facing President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto at the International Criminal Court deferred failed, after the US and the UK abstained from the vote.

Although Mr Sergey said reforming the UNSC would be a “crucial milestone,” to increase legitimacy of the UNSC, to exact the change itself may require more political lobbying.

For example, there are other countries in other regions like Germany, India, Brazil and Japan who feel they should join the P5, owing to their influence in today’s international politics.