Sierra Leone’s increasing influence and leadership role at the United Nations

BY KABS KANU :

Sierra Leone continues to wield a dominant and increasing influence at the United Nations and this was emphasized last week by the  important visit to New York of the country’s Minister of Foreign Affais and International Cooperation, Dr. Samura Kamara.

The Foreign Minister  was in New York to brief  African Ambassadors on the close meeting by African Heads of State and representatives of governments on the United Nations Security Council Reform held at Kigali, Rwanda, last year . During the visit, the Foreign Minister also held a consultative  meeting with C-10,  the African Union Committee of 10 tasked with the responsibility to canvass and promote the African Common Position on the reform negotiations of the UN Security Council.

The two meetings were  crucial to the reform negotiations presently going on  and accentuated  Sierra Leone’s increasing influence and commitment  towards  the United Nations Security Council Reform negotiations as Chair of  C-10.

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PRESIDENT ERNEST KOROMA ADDRESSING THE UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY LAST YEAR

Before he left New York for Sierra Leone , Foreign Minister Samura Kamara also met with the President of the United Nations General Assembly , Mr. Peter Thomson and the Co-Chairs  of the Intergovernmental Negotiations on the UN Security Council Reform process , Ambassadors Mohamed Khaled Khiari of Tunisia and  Ion Jinga .  The visit was  to continue to strengthen ties with the major players in the reform process.

With such an important role to play as the nation speaking on behalf of Africa as the Coordinator of C-10,  it will definitely be a landmark achievement not only for Africa but Sierra Leone herself when the UN Security Council is eventually reformed . Such an achievement will bring  eternal  praise and respect to Sierra Leone, especially if Africa’s demands, encapsulated in the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration , are  honored as they are supposed to be .

Dr Samura Kamara

FOREIGN MINISTER DAMURA KAMARA

Africa is not asking too much : As the only continent not represented in the Permanent Category of the UN  Security Council , Africa is  calling for not less than two  permanent seats with all the prerogatives and privileges of permanent membership including the right of veto and five non-permanent seats.  This will no doubt  not only address the historical injustice done to Africa in excluding her voice from deliberations and decisions on the promotion and maintenance of international peace and security and other vital world issues and problems ; It will also give Africa the vibrant voice she deserves in the UN Security Council and  also reflect changing global realities .

President Ernest Koroma,  who chairs C-10,  has made it very clear that without Africa’s voice at the highest level of the decision-making process of the UN,  no solution will be sustainable.

Foreign Minister , Dr. Samura Kamara, said last week in New York  that : “We are of the firm conviction that in order to enhance the legitimacy of the decisions of the Security Council, it is expedient to adhere to the African demands.”

AMBASSADOR SUMAH 4

AMBASSADOR ADIKALIE SUMAH

Sierra Leone’s Permanent Representative  to the UN, Ambassador Adikalie Foday Sumah,   determined to sustain the momentum of the reform negotiations, reminded his colleagues in New York during the consultative meeting that during the last UN General Assembly in October ,“many world leaders reflecting on the achievements of the United Nations thus far, also called for urgent progress on reforms deemed necessary for the future success of the Organization.”

It was not surprising that last week  after the consultative meeting with Sierra Leone’s Foreign Minister , African  ambassadors at the UN  commended Sierra Leone’s leadership role in the reform negotiations.

This is not the first time Sierra Leone’s role at the UN  has received plaudits.  The country has always excelled at the UN , being an active participant in activities and events of the UN General Assembly and its six main committees  as well as the Security Council, the Peacebuilding Commission ( PBC ) , the Economic and Social Council ( ECOSOC ) , as well as regional organizations and groups accredited to the UN,  like the African Group, the G 77 and China ( G77 +),  the Non -Aligned Movement ( NAM ), the organization of Islamic Cooperation ( OIC ),  the Group of Fragile States (  G7 + ),  among others.

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