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Minister Dlamini Zuma to lead South African Delegation to the
African Union (AU) Commission Meeting on the Reformed United Nations Security
Council Proposals, Mbabane, Swaziland, Sunday, 20 - Tuesday, 22 February 2005 Cape
Town - South African Foreign Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma will depart South
Africa on Saturday 19 February 2005 for Swaziland, where she will lead the South
African government delegation to the African Union (AU) Commission Meeting on
the United Nations (UN) Security Council Proposals. The Commission meeting is
scheduled for Sunday - Tuesday, 20-22 February 2005. The Commission meeting
follows a decision of the AU Heads of State and Government Summit held in Nigeria
from 30-31 January 2005 which decided to establish a Ministerial Committee of
Fifteen (15) Members, mandated to consider all aspects of the recommendations
made in the UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan's report of the High-Level Panel on
Threats, Challenges and Change on the reform of the United Nations System. In
this regard, the Committee of Fifteen (15) Foreign Ministers will also consider
the two models for the expansion of the UN Security Council, taking into account: - the
African Common Position contained in the Harare Assembly Declaration of June 1997;
and
- Developments on the international scene since the adoption of the
Harare Declaration.
The first of the two options (Model A) allows
for the expansion in both the permanent and non-permanent categories of the UN
Security Council membership. In terms of this option Africa would be allocated
two permanent members and its non-permanent membership would increase from three
to four members. In terms of Model B, no new permanent members would be
created. A new category of membership would be created for members to be elected
to four-year terms, and would be able to stand for re-election. In the case of
Africa there would be two such four-year re-electable seats and four two-year
non-re-electable seats. The Panel has not recommended the extension of the
veto in the case of the expansion of membership of the UN Security Council. The
Swaziland meeting will submit its recommendations to the Extraordinary Session
of the African Union's Executive Council of Foreign Ministers at a date still
to be announced. Upon adoption of the recommendations of the Committee of 15,
the report will be presented as Africa's position to the UN Secretary General,
Kofi Annan for his consideration in the preparation of his report to the 2005
Millenium Review Summit. Secretary-General Annan's Report is expected to be released
in March 2005. Issued by Ronnie Mamoepa on 082 990 4853 Department
of Foreign Affairs
Private Bag X152
Pretoria
0001 18 February
2005
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