South Africa is preparing to join the United Nations world body for peace and security for the third time in just over a decade. It is expected to be voted onto the UN Security Council on Friday. It would become one of five countries to win a non-permanent seat on the 15 member Council.
However South Africa, a long-time campaigner for UN reform, is asking for more than just another two year term.
Endorsed by the African Union and running uncontested, South Africa’s bid to join the UN Security Council looks guaranteed. It still needs at least 129 votes from the 193 UN members. However, in both 2006 and 2010 Pretoria gained more than 180 votes.
South Africa plans to use its 2-year term to reassert its desire for a more permanent position at the table. “There should be permanent African representation. I think we definitely need Security Council reform, we’ve got a 20th century UN struggling to deal with 21st century problems and the victors of the Second World War are still dominating that body,” says Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect Simon Adams.
However, changing more than 70 years of Council rules is easier said than done. “Talking about UN reform as a priority for any new incoming non-permanent member is sort of what everybody says. Yet it doesn’t actually happen and I suspect that it probably won’t happen in this case,” says World Policy Institute Fellow Jonathan Cristol.
South Africa plans to prioritise multi-lateralism and the peaceful resolution of global conflicts with an emphasis on the African continent. It’s a proponent of more women in peacekeeping and it will push for free and fair elections later this year in Zimbabwe and the Democratic Republic of Congo. However, experts are unsure if it will succeed in breaking the Council deadlock on issues like Syria and Gaza.
South Africa goes into Friday’s election in a particularly strong position but it remains to be seen if two years will be enough to achieve the UN and global changes it desires. – Nick Harper
