Africa wants veto powers for two new permanent seats it hopes to get on the Security Council in an historic reform of the United Nations expected this year, South African President Thabo Mbeki said.
The demand for veto powers, agreed at a summit of African leaders in Nigeria yesterday, presents a challenge to the world body which has unveiled plans to raise the number of seats, but leave veto powers in the hands of the existing five permanent members: the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China.
"In light of the fact the current permanent five are saying they will retain the right of veto, therefore the new permanent members should have the same right," Mbeki said in an interview with Reuters and South African Broadcasting Corp after a summit of the African Union (AU) late yesterday. "The AU is saying you should not have two degrees of permanent members, some with a veto right and others not."
A high-level panel on reforming the United Nations has proposed two models for enlarging the council from 15 to 24 members.
One proposal suggests adding six new permanent members without veto power, including two from Africa, plus three new nonpermanent members for a two-year term.
The second option suggests adding eight seats in a new class of members who would serve for four years, subject to renewal, again this would include two from Africa. This plan foresees one non-permanent two-year seat.
Mbeki said the 53-member organisation had decided on the first option, "with improvements".
The African Union will also press for five non-permanent seats on the Security Council, Mbeki said, against the UN?s proposed three, to allow each of the five main African regions to have one each.
Mbeki said a 15-member committee of African Union foreign ministers would draw up detailed proposals to present to the United Nations before the end of March, when Secretary-General Kofi Annan is expected to present his report on the reform.
African Union delegates at the summit said the committee would also seek to break a deadlock between Nigeria, South Africa and Egypt over which two nations should be nominated to become permanent members. Any change to the council membership needs approval from two-thirds of the 191-member UN General Assembly and must avoid a veto by any of the council?s current permanent members.
Meanwhile, the African Union is seeking to break a deadlock between Nigeria, South Africa and Egypt over which two nations should be nominated to join the UN Security Council in reforms expected this year, officials said yesterday.
African nations are hoping for two new permanent seats on the council.
But there is no consensus on which African states should seek the new seats with Nigeria, Egypt and South Africa each campaigning for the privilege. The issue was a talking point at this weekend?s African Union summit in Nigeria?s capital Abuja.
"There is a proposal to put two countries forward to the Security Council as permanent members," said one delegate.
A 15-member committee, representing five African regions, was expected to meet over the next two months, with each region proposing one candidate, delegates said.
"Fifteen foreign ministers will meet and adopt a common position," Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, who is also African Union chairman, said at a press briefing.
Delegates said they hoped two consensus candidates would emerge, with South Africa and Nigeria tipped as favourites.
One AU delegate said Africa would challenge the restriction of veto powers to the existing five permanent council members -- United States, Britain, France, China and Russia.
"What the Africans want is the power of veto which the West is not in favour of. But if that is the case, nobody should have the power of veto and it should be done democratically," an African delegate, speaking on condition of anonymity, said.
Any change to the council membership needs approval from two-thirds of the 191-member UN General Assembly and must avoid a veto by any of the council?s current permanent members.
The demand for veto powers, agreed at a summit of African leaders in Nigeria yesterday, presents a challenge to the world body which has unveiled plans to raise the number of seats, but leave veto powers in the hands of the existing five permanent members: the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China.
"In light of the fact the current permanent five are saying they will retain the right of veto, therefore the new permanent members should have the same right," Mbeki said in an interview with Reuters and South African Broadcasting Corp after a summit of the African Union (AU) late yesterday. "The AU is saying you should not have two degrees of permanent members, some with a veto right and others not."
A high-level panel on reforming the United Nations has proposed two models for enlarging the council from 15 to 24 members.
One proposal suggests adding six new permanent members without veto power, including two from Africa, plus three new nonpermanent members for a two-year term.
The second option suggests adding eight seats in a new class of members who would serve for four years, subject to renewal, again this would include two from Africa. This plan foresees one non-permanent two-year seat.
Mbeki said the 53-member organisation had decided on the first option, "with improvements".
The African Union will also press for five non-permanent seats on the Security Council, Mbeki said, against the UN?s proposed three, to allow each of the five main African regions to have one each.
Mbeki said a 15-member committee of African Union foreign ministers would draw up detailed proposals to present to the United Nations before the end of March, when Secretary-General Kofi Annan is expected to present his report on the reform.
African Union delegates at the summit said the committee would also seek to break a deadlock between Nigeria, South Africa and Egypt over which two nations should be nominated to become permanent members. Any change to the council membership needs approval from two-thirds of the 191-member UN General Assembly and must avoid a veto by any of the council?s current permanent members.
Meanwhile, the African Union is seeking to break a deadlock between Nigeria, South Africa and Egypt over which two nations should be nominated to join the UN Security Council in reforms expected this year, officials said yesterday.
African nations are hoping for two new permanent seats on the council.
But there is no consensus on which African states should seek the new seats with Nigeria, Egypt and South Africa each campaigning for the privilege. The issue was a talking point at this weekend?s African Union summit in Nigeria?s capital Abuja.
"There is a proposal to put two countries forward to the Security Council as permanent members," said one delegate.
A 15-member committee, representing five African regions, was expected to meet over the next two months, with each region proposing one candidate, delegates said.
"Fifteen foreign ministers will meet and adopt a common position," Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, who is also African Union chairman, said at a press briefing.
Delegates said they hoped two consensus candidates would emerge, with South Africa and Nigeria tipped as favourites.
One AU delegate said Africa would challenge the restriction of veto powers to the existing five permanent council members -- United States, Britain, France, China and Russia.
"What the Africans want is the power of veto which the West is not in favour of. But if that is the case, nobody should have the power of veto and it should be done democratically," an African delegate, speaking on condition of anonymity, said.
Any change to the council membership needs approval from two-thirds of the 191-member UN General Assembly and must avoid a veto by any of the council?s current permanent members.
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