UN Security Council gets new voice from Africa

Mozambique replaced Kenya at the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday with a promise to prioritize the fight against terrorism. The country will serve at the council as a non-permanent member for the next two years.

Kenya has served in the council since June 2020 and was represented by its Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN Martin Kimani. Mozambique began its tenure at the council on Jan 1.

In his farewell message, Kimani said his country had done a good job at the UN.

“Our work in the Security Council is done, and to mark the occasion, I am wearing the National Defense College tie in honor of the men and women of the Kenya Defense Forces who exemplify what the UN stands for,” Kimani said in a statement published over the weekend.

“In the coming days, I will communicate some of the important lessons we learned. But for now, all I feel is overwhelming gratitude for the opportunity.”

Joining Mozambique are Ecuador, Japan, Malta and Switzerland. All five countries will take up non-permanent seats for the next two years.

Pedro Comissario, Mozambican ambassador to the UN, said his country is ready to deal with terrorism during its tenure. While speaking at a flag installation ceremony for the five new members outside Mozambique’s council chamber, Comissario said the international community should work together to stamp out terrorism.

“Paramount among contemporary threats to international peace and security is the progressive Africanization of terrorism affecting our continent,” Comissario said.

Pushing for reforms

He added that Mozambique will push for reforms at the Security Council to address African concerns.

“It is necessary to pay attention to reforming the Security Council to reflect African concerns, a region that has suffered historical injustice. We have no permanent member on the Security Council,” Comissario said.

Mozambique has been battling an extremist insurgency in its northern Cabo Delgado Province for the past five years. The conflict has displaced over 1 million people and killed around 4,000 others, according to UN data.

Mozambique’s President Filipe Jacinto Nyusi is among African leaders who have called for increased UNSC representation and a rebalanced council to more equitably reflect Africa’s role in the global community.

That has long been an issue of concern for the African Union and member nations, as articulated in the Ezulwini Consensus reached in 2005. Africans have pressed for reforms that would deliver two permanent seats on the council and two additional non-permanent seats for African nations, but have never achieved those goals.