Decision on the Reform of the United Nations Security Council – Doc. Assembly/AU/13(XXXII)

DECISION ON THE REFORM OF THE UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL Doc. Assembly/AU/13(XXXII)

The Assembly,

1. TAKES NOTE of the 20^th Report of the Committee of Ten Heads of State and Government on the Reform of the UN Security Council(UNSC);

2. REITERATES the need to reform the UN to conform to the present geopolitical realities, in particular, the need to address Africa’s non-representation in the Permanent category, and its under-representation in the Non-permanent category of the UNSC;

3. ACKNOWLEDGES WITH APPRECIATION the progress made by the Committee of Ten in advocating and canvassing support for the Common African Position as espoused in the Ezulwini Consensus and the 2005 Sirte Declaration on the UNSC Reform;

4. WELCOMES in that regard, the growing acceptance of the legitimacy of the Common African Position on the reform of the UNSC; in particular, the FULL ENDORSEMENT for the Common African Position as espoused in the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration by a number of Interest Groups and Member States from across all regions, during the Intergovernmental Negotiations at the UN in 2018;

5. ALSO WELCOMES and APPRECIATES the endorsement of the Common African Position by the Heads of State and Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM);

6. REAFFIRMS its firm commitment to the Common African Position espoused in the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration as the only viable option for Africa’s full representation at the UNSC;

7. REITERATES that full representation of Africa in the UNSC means:

1. a minimum of two (2) Permanent seats with all the prerogatives and privileges of Permanent membership including the right of veto;

2. five (5) Non-permanent seats; and

3. that the African Union reserves the right to select its representatives for election to the UNSC, to act in its name and on its behalf.

8. REQUESTS

1. the Committee of Ten Heads of State and Government to continue to reach out at the highest political levels, including with the five Permanent members of the IINSC, with a view to advancing the Common African Position on the reform of the UNSC;

2. the Committee of Ten to also continue to intensify its engagement with other Interest and Regional Groups and stakeholders with a view to building on progress made in advancing the Common African Position on the reform of UNSC; in this regard, ENCOURAGES the Committee of Ten to continue holding its High-Level Meetings outside the margins of the Summit of the African Union;

3. All African Union Member States to reflect in their respective national statements at the opening of the 74^th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in September 2019, the concise common language to advance the Common African Position, and to reiterate the call for a comprehensive reform of the UNSC;

4. all African Union Member States to include the issue of the UNSC reform among their foreign policy priorities in their engagements with non-African partners, in particular, the need to correct, without further delay, the historical injustice that the African continent continues to endure;

5. the Chairperson of the Commission to include the Item: Reform of the UNSC in the Agenda of the Closed-Closed Segment of the next Ordinary Session of the Assembly.

9. REITERATES the firm commitment to preserve Africa’s unity and solidarity on all aspects of the UNSC reform process, including participation within and outside the intergovernmental negotiations, and to continue to speak cohesively with one voice in unity of purpose on all aspects of the reform process;

10. ALSO REITERATES that the C-10 continues to liaise with other African Union Member States in New York and Addis Ababa, through regular briefing on updates on matters related to the Intergovernmental Negotiations on the reform of the UNSC, including the activities of the C-10;

11. FURTHER REITERATES that the African Union Member States in New York with dual membership should consider withdrawal of such membership from all other Interest Groups, in order to further consolidate the Common African Position as contained in the Ezulwini consensus and the Sirte Declaration;

12. DECIDES that the Common African position on the reform of the UNSC shall be a strategic item on the Assembly’s Agenda and work plan, and REQUESTS the Commission to continue to facilitate the work of the Committee of Ten;

13. ALSO DECIDES that the Committee of Ten remains seized of its mandate until Africa achieves its objectives on the reform of the UNSC.