President Dr Julius Maada Bio has briefed Foreign Ministers and Ambassadors of the African Union Committee of Ten (C-10) to reform the United Nations Security Council, UNSC, on the margins of the 35th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly of Heads of States and Government.

“Excellencies, we are meeting this morning, as we have always done, to reflect on the activities undertaken since the last Report during the 33rd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Heads of State and Government.”

He formally informed the Foreign Ministers and Ambassadors representing their countries that he would be presenting the 22nd Report of the Committee of Ten on the Reform of the United Nations Security Council to the main plenary of the Assembly of the Union tomorrow, 6th February 2022.

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He also reminded them that in 2005 they at the C-10 we were given a clear mandate and weighty responsibility by the Assembly to promote, advance and canvass the Common African Position as set out in the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration.

He referred to the task as a noble one, which would involve demanding no less than two permanent seats with all the rights and prerogatives of permanent members, including the right of veto, if retained, and two additional seats in the non-permanent category of the Security Council.

“Pursuant to the above stated Summit Decision, the Committee of Ten Heads of State and Government on the Reform of the United Nations Security Council continued to strengthen its engagement with other Interest Groups and key stakeholders, including with the Five Permanent Members (P-5) of the UNSC, with a view to advancing the Common African Position on the reform of the UNSC and building on progress made in canvassing the Common African Position on the reform of the UN Security Council,” he said.

President Bio also noted, in his capacity as Coordinator of C-10, that going forward and in consultation with President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni of Uganda, they had directed for the examination of recent developments and progress made and to share perspectives on ways to further advance the Common African Position as espoused in the Ezulwini Consensus and Sirte Declaration.

He assured that they would explore means to further enhance the cohesiveness and unity of the African Union Member States on the reform of the UNSC and provide further guidance to the C-10 Permanent Missions in New York and Addis Ababa on substantive and procedural issues.

The Foreign Ministers and Ambassadors recommended that the C-10 build on the remarkable progress made so far, reaffirm the Common African Position as enshrined in the Ezulwini Consensus and Sirte Declaration was the only viable option to redress the historical injustice done to the African Continent and that the AU Member States should remain cohesive on all aspects of the reform process, stay united and continue to speak with one voice in unity of purpose.