C-10 is a group of 10 African countries, including Kenya, formed by AU to lobby for UN reforms.
Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta (left), Sierra Leone President Ernest Bai Korma (Center) and Namibia President Hage Geingob during the Committee of Ten meeting in Kigali, Rwanda. President Kenyatta congratulated the C-10 permanent representatives to the African Union for their continued dedication to the Security Council reform process. PHOTO | PSCU
In Summary
President Koroma gave an outline of the progress of negotiations towards the UN reforms, including the challenges facing the process.
President Kenyatta commended the C-10 permanent representatives to the United Nations in New York for their continued engagement with other interest groups in canvassing support and promoting the African common position.
President Uhuru Kenyatta on Saturday asked members of the African Union Committee of Ten to speak in one voice as they challenge the under-representation of African states at the United Nations Security Council.
Speaking in Kigali, Mr Kenyatta said the member states should bring all African nations together to challenge the historical injustice of non-representation in the permanent category and the under representation in the non-permanent category in the UN’s security organ.
“We must not abdicate our responsibility to our people and continent,” he said.
The meeting was attended by the Presidents Hage Geingob (Namibia), Teodoro Obiang Nguema (Equatorial Guinea), Macky Sall (Senegal) and Ernest Bai Koroma of Sierra Leone, who is also the Coordinator of the C-10 on the Security Council reforms.
C-10 is a group of 10 African countries, including Kenya, formed by AU to lobby for UN reforms.
Other members are Algeria, Libya, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Namibia, Zambia, Uganda, Equatorial Guinea and Congo.
President Koroma gave an outline of the progress of negotiations towards the UN reforms, including the challenges facing the process.
He noted that while the committee members have played a big role in raising the visibility and profile of the C-10, more work still remained to be done to project Africa’s position on the UN reforms.
“Our responsibility is not only to raise the visibility of the C-10 but also secure the seats we desire in the UN Security Council,” President Koroma said.
Noting that more than 60 per cent of the issues addressed by the UN Security Council are African issues, President Koroma said time has come for the continent to be accorded adequate representation in the global body.
WELL DONE
President Kenyatta said Kenya firmly supports the reform process as a way to create a more broadly representative, democratic, transparent, legitimate and accountable Security Council that is able to respond to today’s challenges, and reflect the current geo-political realities in the world.
“Kenya remains committed to the reform of the United Nations and in particular the Security Council,” Mr Kenyatta said.
He commended the C-10 permanent representatives to the United Nations in New York for their continued engagement with other interest groups in canvassing support and promoting the African common position.
“I am pleased to note the positive outcome of the engagement with the L69 group and look forward to further engagement with other like-minded interest groups,” President Kenyatta said.
He also congratulated the C-10 permanent representatives to the African Union for their continued dedication to the Security Council reform process.
He said they should continue to actively engage the AU Commission to ensure that the Commission plays an active role in supporting C-10 activities both logistically and financially at all levels.
“I believe the effort to enable the C-10 further promote and advocate for Africa’s interest, shall be supported by the AU Commission in accordance with the decision adopted by the 26th AU Assembly held in January, 2016 in Addis Ababa,” President Kenyatta said.
