Ambassador Sumah was speaking on behalf of the African Group during the Informal Meeting of the General Assembly on the intergovernmental negotiations on the question of equitable representation on and increase in the membership of the Security Council and related matters in New York,on Monday 6th February 2017.
Ambassador Sumah told the meeting that the reform of the Security Council lies at the very heart of ensuring the effective and efficient role of the United Nations as the architect and center of the global governance system in the maintenance of international peace and security.
Ambassador Sumah said that, given the difficulties experienced in bridging the differences in the varied positions and modus operandi of advancing the process forward, the African Group is urging Member States to collectively seek ways of achieving the political commitment world leaders made at the 2005 World Summit.
The Permanent Representative stressed that in spite of the existing tremendous difficulties in guiding and moving the process forward, Africa remains committed to the early reform of the Council, which in the view of the group requires the commitment and political will of member states. Africa, he emphasized, remains convinced of the urgent need for a comprehensive reform of the Security Council, encompassing the five key clusters and taking into account their inter-linkages.
Ambassador Sumah noted that all the various Groups and stakeholders’ positions as advanced, seek to ensure that; the Security Council is made inclusive, accountable, transparent and effective, which, according to the African Group will help ensure the promotion and preservation of the principles of equity and democracy, as well as further enhance the legitimacy of the Council.
Ambassador Sumah reiterated the belief of the African Group that it was imperative to have a comprehensive reform of the Security Council, to address the historical injustice that leaves Africa, as the only region,not represented in the Permanent category and under-represented in the Non-Permanent category of the Security Council.
Ambassador Sumah informed the body that on the 20 th and 23 rd January 2017, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Sierra Leone, the Hon. Dr. Samura Matthew Wilson Kamara under the instructions of the Coordinator of the C-10, His Excellency Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma, President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, held consultative meetings here in New York, with the President of the 71 st Session of the General Assembly, Permanent Representatives and Ambassadors of the African Group and the IGN Co-Chairs.
The meetings, Ambassador Sumah went on, focused on exchanging views on the current state of play of the IGN process and as well; identified opportunities and challenges moving forward. The African Union Committee of Ten (C-10) , he assured, will continue holding consultations with all Member States and will remain open to further consultations with such interest groups who have come up oare likely to come up with initiatives on the reform of the Security Council.
