Launch of the 14th Ministerial Meeting of the African Group of Ten on UN Security Council Reform in Libya

Tunis, Oct 11 (KUNA) -- The 14th ministerial meeting of the African Group of Ten (C10), focused on reforming the UN Security Council, kicked off today in the capital Tripoli to discuss ways of unifying the African position and enhancing the continent’s representation in the UN system.

In a statement, the Libyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the minister entrusted with managing the ministry’s affairs, Taher al-Baawour, chaired the meeting alongside Sierra Leone’s Foreign Minister, Mohamed Rahman Sowary. The meeting was attended by foreign ministers and officials from relevant African countries, as well as the permanent representatives of Kuwait and the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the UN, in their capacity as co-chairs of the intergovernmental negotiations on Security Council reform.

Al-Baawour reaffirmed Libya’s commitment to the unified African position calling for granting the continent two permanent seats in the UN Security Council with full powers, including the veto, and two additional non-permanent seats. He stressed that this position is based on the principles of justice and equality in sovereignty, aiming to ensure fair representation in international decision-making.

He added that hosting the meeting in the Libyan capital reflects Libya’s keenness to strengthen its role in Africa and support joint efforts, noting that the city of Sirte hosted the African Union summit in 2009, which issued the “Sirte Declaration” on UN reform.

Al-Baawour called for intensifying coordination among African countries and diplomatic missions in New York and Addis Ababa, and enhancing communication with the permanent members of the Security Council and influential states in the negotiations, to help translate African consensus into organized diplomatic action and practical outcomes.

He highlighted the importance of developing a joint action roadmap for the Group of Ten and assigning the ambassadors of member states to implement an organized communication program with permanent members and reform groups, alongside establishing a periodic mechanism to monitor progress and prepare a report containing specific recommendations to be presented at the upcoming African Union summit.

The Libyan official shed light on the challenges facing the Security Council in dealing with international crises and conflicts, emphasizing the importance of reforming the Council as a political and moral necessity to enhance the credibility and effectiveness of the UN in maintaining international peace and security. He also called for the responsible exercise of the veto power to prevent obstructing the Council’s work or entrenching double standards, reiterating Libya’s continued support for the Group of Ten’s work and its backing of efforts to ensure fair and effective African representation within the Council.

The African Group of Ten comprises Libya, Algeria, the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Kenya, Namibia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Uganda, and Zambia, with Sierra Leone coordinating the group’s work. Established in 2005 to defend the common African position on UN reform based on the Sirte Declaration and the Ezulwini Consensus, the group is expected to focus its discussions on mechanisms to enhance coordination among member states, identify next diplomatic steps to support African demands, and follow up on the outcomes of joint action to strengthen the role of the African Union in international negotiations on Security Council reform. (End) S.B.M. / F.S.