8/05/2005

AU wants veto power in UN security council

I do realise that i have been away for awhile, so [waving] hello there!

When i saw the above story by David Mugonyi, i was just nodding...hard.
Short Excerpt.
Mr Mwakwere said as currently constituted, the Security Council was undemocratic, since only five members — America, Britain, France, Russia and China — exercised the veto power for their own agendas.
African leaders, he said, resolved that since a third of UN members were African countries, it was time the continent was involved in decisions that affected it.
Said Mr Mwakwere: "We decided that the continent have a say at the same level as other members because it is part and parcel of the world."
The leaders, he added, considered the veto power undemocratic and would prefer it removed altogether. He, however, said since that was not forthcoming, Africa should have the slots.
The two seats, if granted, would be occupied on rotation basis — with southern, western, northern, eastern and central African countries occupying them in turns.


I am hoping it works out, it only seems fair eh?

**I second white African's sentiments on the upcoming movie 'The constant Gardener' by John le carre. Incidentally Bankelele recommended the book to me many moons ago, i liked the book, the prologue was disturbing...Le Carre noted that what he wrote couldnt even come close to the real situation of what was going on in Nairobi with research on the poor. [if my memory serves me correctly..its been a minute but i think that was the gist of it]

**Song of the Day: Earth Crisis (1984) by Steel Pulse.
- damage of the environment seen by astronauts aboard the Discovery shuttle. link.

8 Comments:

Blogger M said...

That veto nonsense should be dispensed with altogether!

8/08/2005 7:21 AM  
Blogger Msanii_XL said...

agree with M..no way is africa going to get that veto power

8/08/2005 9:13 AM  
Blogger Afromusing said...

M, MXL and jjray...
That is a good idea jjray. was just checking up on the UN reforms announced by Kofi Annan in March, summarised by Bankelele...
of note "- He is calling for an expansion of the Security Council, so that it better reflects the global realities of today".
I am skeptical ofcourse considering John Bolton was summarily installed as the US ambassador to the UN. I guess we can look to the votes in Sept on the special summit to approve UN reforms.
The thing that gets me about the veto power, is that if the(more often than not economic) interests of the security council member conflict with..lets say Genocide as is the case with China's veto power regarding action against the sudanese govt, there is no recouse but talk of sanctions and fence sitting with perfunctory declarations while millions die. It appears to me that as much as equity in the UN is a laudable goal, other initiatives such as strengthening of the AU (both monetarily and pragmatically) should be forcefully pursued.As Noted earlier by M was ofcourse the importance of not just lofty goals by AU but action whenever buggers like Mugabe hurt their/our own. We are inching forward i guess. Or is it centimeter-ing?

8/08/2005 5:39 PM  
Blogger AfroFeminista said...

A few months ago, I saw a sign for 3 Bees - just like in the Constant Gardener. I keep meaning to stop and see what exactly they sell:) It's a shop of some kind off Thika Road...

AU, UN - toothless buggers. No one seems to listen to them. To be honest the whole reforms thing seems to me, a smokescreen to cover up the UN's growing toothlessness.

8/09/2005 3:46 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Afrofem could you please check it out and let us know? My sis remembered the adverts that ran several years ago on the AIDS vaccine testing...curious to know if the research is still going on.

8/09/2005 9:32 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm skeptical about Africa's veto. Who would hold it? The South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt combination does not looking appealing to me.

Maybe KBW can get a veto holding seat!

8/10/2005 6:11 PM  
Blogger HASH said...

I agree with AfroFeminista - The UN is toothless. I'd be happy with no veto powers in the UN, but I would be even happier if the UN didn't exist at all.

8/10/2005 10:51 PM  
Blogger Afromusing said...

afrofem, actually that was me on anonymous, was not at my comp.
Mental... now that...i would rock the vote for!
Hash...good of you stop by... the snake on your blog is scary!

8/12/2005 7:30 PM  

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