Africa ready to pull out of UN: President
AFRICAN countries have intensified their push to get two permanent seats in the United Nations Security Council with the continent’s leaders exploring the option of pulling out of the UN if their demand for reform is not met, President Mugabe has said.
The President made the remarks at the Harare International Airport yesterday while addressing hundreds of ZANU-PF supporters who welcomed him on his return from the UN General Assembly in New York, as well as the Non-Aligned Movement conference in Venezuela.
In a bold speech that is likely to stir debate on the continent, President Mugabe said African leaders discussed options of withdrawing from the world body on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. The decision, was however, shelved until next year’s UN summit where the continent’s leaders are expected to go for broke.
Under the Ezulwini Consensus agreed to in 2005, African countries have been requesting two permanent seats in the UN Security Council as well as five non-permanent seats but Western countries have refused to give in to Africa’s demands for fair representation in the global organisation.
President Mugabe said: “Asi pagore rino takaenda mushure mekuti taita committee yedu, yekuAfrica kuti ngatichisunganayi tigoti isu kana musungo uyu watirikuda warambwa tingaitei?
“Tinova nehurombo nekuti takanga tisati tapedza kukurukura ku Africa Union nekusungana asi zvichazovako mugore riri kuuya iri rekuti tinoda chisungano chinoti icho kana vakaramba vachi ramba . . .”
President Mugabe said the UN would be the loser without Africa as well as other powerful countries such as China and Russia who could be willing to form a new body.
He said not all powerful nations in the UN Security Council were against Africa’s demands but the West is throwing spanners to block the continent from getting two permanent seats.
He said, “Handi dzose dzirikuramba ana Russia nana China varikubvuma, varikuramba iBritain, France neAmerica.
“Vakaramba vachiramba kudaro United Nations yakasimbaradzwa nenyika dzekunze, varege
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◆ kuzochema, isu tese tasungana kunovamba wedu musangano.
“Tingauvambe pamwe chete neChina, pamwe chete neIndia, nedzimwe nyika dzekuAsia, togoona kuti vanosara navanani.
“Izvi ndozvatiri kuda kuzoita, gore riri kuuya muna September tasungana zvakanaka.”
President Mugabe said although the issue had been widely discussed, some coward African Heads of State were afraid of implementing the move for fear of reprisal by the West.
He said fellow African countries needed to be courageous if they were to take the West head-on and make bold demands.
“Tanga tichiri kukurukura, nereport yatakapihwa iyoyi inoti iyoyo ngatikurukurei, tisungane tose.
“Hameno kuti tichasungana tose here nokuti panyaya dzakadai panotodiwa vakasimba, saka ndovatinotoda ivavo, zvino pane vane kungo tyatya zvinozonzi ndozodii, saka Africa mazuvano haisisiri kutungamirirwa nevatungamiriri vaye vakavamba AU, ayewa, angova magwara ega ega, magwara vana gwara vanotya, vatyi voga voga.
President Mugabe also revealed that other African leaders count on him to rebuff the West because they fear speaking out.
“Saka tinoda kuvasimbaradza pamazuva iwo ano aya tichifamba saka vanototi aah, dai maramba muchiti tungamirira papfungwa idzodzi, tikati ngativei tese ka tibatane, vaMugabe havangangoti ndivo voga vanobuda vachitaura nyaya iyi.
“Saka takazoitaiwo hurukuro yedu yekuenda ku United Nations bvavanzwa, ndozvavakataura ndikaita musangano ikoko nemamwewo maPresident.”
President Mugabe went on; “Chechipiri ndechechichemo cheAfrica yose inoti aaah, pakamirirwa matter neUnited Nations Africa haina kupihwa masimba akapihwa dzimwe nyika dzinoti Britain, France, Russia, China, America, shanu idzi.
“Shanu idzi ndodzinonzi permanent members, permanent members dzichinzi ndidzo dzaivepo pakavambwa the United Nations pakupera kwehondo muna 1945.
“Saka ivo vakazvipa masimba ekuti hapana chinoitwa chikurukuru chisina kubvumiranwa nesu.
“Kana mumwechete wavo akangoti isu hatidi hatienderere mberi ndo inonzi veto iyoyo.
“Vamwe vakangoti ngatiite zvemberi mberi. Imwe chete ikangoti hatidi, zvatorambwa.
“Saka isu takagara pasi kukasanganwa neAfrica yose kuSwaziland kudhorobha ravo rinonzi Ezulwini, Ezulwini pachindevere nechiZulu nechi Swati, zvinoreva kuti kudenga. Tinoti isu tinoda kuti zvino Africa ivewo nevaviri vane simba rakaita sevavo vashanu ava.
“Vanoenda kunonzi kuSecurity Council, vapinde imomo, vatanga tichipinza imomo vanga vasina masimba aya, vanga vachingopedza makore maviri vobuda totsvaga vamwe, dunhu nedunhu, zvichidaro, tikavava kusvika tati tinoda kupinza vaviri ava, vanomirira Africa vane simba rinema permament members iwaya, kana veto iyo, inotiyo mumwe chete wavo akati icho chinhu handichide, ikaramba iripo nesuwo tinoti vedu vave neveto iyoyo.
“Asi isusu tanga tati, veto iyoyo inotadzisa zvinhu kuti zvienderere mberi, ngaibviswe, kana yabviswa, hazvina mhosva, veduwe vanenge vasina veto iyoyo, saka chechimwe chichemo chandinoenda nacho kuUnited Natons ichochi chekuti ngakuve nekuchinjwa kweUnited Nations kubvumira isu ve Africa tive ne vaviri ava…vane simba rakaita sevava vashanu.
President Mugabe said he also used the UN forum to denounce illegal sanctions on Zimbabwe.
He said the NAM summit in Venezuela was significant as Non Aligned countries helped Zimbabwe in its struggle for independence.
The President was welcomed by Vice Presidents Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko, Ministers Sydney Sekeramayi, Dr Christopher Mushohwe, Saviour Kasukuwere, Samuel Undenge, Supa Mandiwanzira, Patrick Zhuwawo, Nyasha Chikwinya, Miriam Chikukwa and Mandi Chimene, senior Government officials and service chiefs.