As part of the activities of a three-day official visit to Cairo, Ambassador/Permanent representative of the Republic of Sierra Leone Permanent Mission to the United Nations, New York, Dr. Michael Imran Kanu has met with Ambassador Walid Haggag, Director of The Institute of Diplomatic Studies who were hosting young group of diplomatic attachés for a two-week training course in capacity-building and development of diplomatic skills drawn from English Speaking countries.
Director of the Institute of Diplomatic Studies, Ambassador Walid Haggag informed that the invitation of the Sierra Leonean representative to the United Nations comes within the context of the long-standing brotherliness between the Republic of Sierra Leone and the Arab Republic Egypt and a demonstration of Egypt’s commitment to strengthening multilateral relations with the intent of supporting the leadership of Sierra Leone in its efforts to reform the United Nations Security Council UNSC. He added that the course was organized in cooperation with the Egyptian Agency for Partnership for Development, in which 40 diplomats from across Asian Embassies are participating and will be privileged to listen to a lecture from the gentleman and have an opportunity for interactive session with him specifically designed to introduce the diplomats to the methods and strategies of the UN Security Council.
Ambassador Imran Kanu’s talk focused on the reform of the UNSC to enhance the skills of the mid-career diplomats on effectively understanding how they have been able to take up the Ezulwini Consensus and Sirte Declaration on the Common African Position (CAP ) and rectifying the historical injustice that is still being perpetuated against the African Continent Succinctly, a mandate of the Committee of Ten of African Heads of States C10, based on the following six pillars that are Critical African Aspirations on topical issues covering such as: structural economic transformation and inclusive growth, Science, Technology and Innovation, People Centered Development, Environmental Sustainability, Natural Resource Management Disaster Risk Management, Peace and Security, and Finance and Partnership
In this regard, the permanent representative said, Sierra Leones Mission in Addis Ababa and in New York carry out the daily coordination work bestowed on President Julius Maada Bio as coordinator of C10, and is also serving as a non-permanent member at the UNSC. He highlighted some key points in his intervention and was optimistic that the work of the C10 has been successful based on the mandate and efforts of the African Union and some delegations like Egypt. He extended gratitude to the leadership of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi whose effort he said is remarkable in global affairs with reference to the War in Gaza in which the leadership has been recognized in the UNSC and also extending thanks to Foreign Minister, H.E. Sameh Hassan Shoukry, and (Assistant Foreign Minister for Multilateral Affairs and International Security, Ambassador Ehab Badawy), for extending the invitation to him. Ambassador Kanu updated on the recent developments focusing on the Intergovernmental Negotiations (IGN) at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and the work of the C-10 and observations regarding the next steps on the reform process since the last report of the C-10 to the AU Assembly in February 2023 which include: The conclusion of the 77th UNGA session, and the adoption of the decision to roll over the IGN to the UNGA 78th Session. UNGA’s 78 High-Level Week, the General Debate on Agenda 121 and the IGN Session, The Fifth Consultative Summit of the C-10 held in Oyala, Equatorial Guinea on 24th October 2023.
The Ezulwini Consensus, he said, serves as the only viable option that reflects Africa’s legitimate right and aspiration to rectify, among other things, the historical injustice endured by the Continent, underscores Africa’s goal to be fully represented in all decision-making organs of the UN, particularly the Security Council. It consists of the claim of five seats in the category of non-permanent members and not less than two permanent members with the same rights, privileges and obligations accorded to the current permanent members of the UNSC, including the right to veto. African Union reserves the right to determine the criteria for selecting the two Member States to represent the continent in the Security Council as Permanent Members.
The permanent Representative ended his presentation on key observations, the next steps and the way forward for the CAP specifically emphasizing among others the Common African Position which has remained strong, legitimate, and viable and maintained without any change for the IGN. With the broad support for the CAP established in the IGN, the issue of rectifying the historical injustice, and treating Africa as a special case and be prioritized being the next significant objective.
This presentation was followed by an interactive question and answer sessions.
