BUJUMBURA November 21st (ABP) – Burundi supports the “common African” position calling for, under the aegis of the African Union (AU), a “structural reform” of the United Nations (UN) for ‘Better global governance,’ said Isidore Ntirampeba, permanent secretary in Burundi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in Bujumbura on Tuesday.
Mr. Ntirampeba was speaking at an information session organized by the Burundi Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the heads of diplomatic and consular missions and representatives of international organizations accredited in the Republic of Burundi.
To date, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has fifteen member countries, five of which are veto-active, namely China, the United States of America, France, the United Kingdom, and Russia.
Since the plenary session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York from 16 October 2002 do date, African countries have been demanding under the auspices of the AU, better representation in the UNSC on the basis of a global equity.
Indeed, those African countries justify that claim of course “by the size of their workforce” (54 out of 193 countries forming the list of UN member States); but also by the immensity of the challenges and issues related to peace and security on the African continent.
“So in relation to the Burundi government’s position on international issues, I would like to announce to you that with regard to the reform of the United Nations Security Council, seventy-two years after its inception, Burundi supports the African Common Position on the need to expand the Security Council to Africa,” he said.
To that end, Burundi aligns itself with the position of several African countries which, taking ownership of the AU’s claim, are calling for better global governance, “two seats for Africa in the category of permanent members” of the UNSC.
On peacekeeping and the fight against terrorism at the international level, Mr. Ntirampeba said Burundi supports “fully” the AU initiative calling for “silencing arms” in Africa by 2020.
On the political front, he said that Burundi reiterates its position in line with the UN Charter stipulating that all member States of that international organization are sovereign.
He continued to say that Burundi believes that the sovereignty of States is the pillar of a reasonable international system.
“Thus, I would like to remind some of our partners to follow suit of those who have always supported respect for the principles and values of the United Nations Charter in dealing with the situation prevailing in our country. I would like to thank them for their positive role in the process of building peace in Burundi,” he said.
Moreover, he said, the Burundi government reiterates its request to “withdraw Burundi from the agenda of the UN Security Council”; because, he explained, “no objective criterion justifies keeping Burundi on the agenda”.
