African leaders now push for slot at UN

NEW YORK

African presidents are pushing for changes in the UN’s top organ that will see them get a slot they will use to advance interests of the continent.

AU chairman Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, South Africa President Jacob Zuma and Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn appeared to read from the same script when they accused the UN of discriminating against the continent.

They particularly aimed their guns at the five permanent members of the UN Security Council who they described as an “exclusive club” which influences the body’s decisions, including election of the Secretary General.

The members, also known as the “Big Five” are United States, Russia, United Kingdom, China and France.

Mr Mugabe said African countries had not gone to the General Assembly “looking for handouts” but with a well thought out agenda of seeking partners to develop their mega infrastructure projects, exploit their natural resources and attract investments.

He said the world will only benefit from an Africa that has been set free and not one that has been muzzled by the powerful countries in the UN Security Council.

“While the world has drastically changed since 1945 (when the UN was established first as the League of Nations), the UN has been stuck, driven along by the archaic systems which threatens to alienate majority of its membership,” he said.

Mr Zuma lamented that the UN has failed to reform since it was established.