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Mabasa Sasa at the UNITED NATIONS
The Security Council is in danger of becoming increasingly inefficient and illegitimate if it is not urgently reformed, United Nations Secretary-General Mr Ban Ki-Moon, has said.

Mr Ban said this as he officially opened the 71st Session of the UN General Assembly here yesterday.

President Mugabe and other world leaders were in New York as Mr Ban opened the global organisation’s Grand Debate for the last time, with world leaders expected to select his successor after 10 years at the helm of the world body.

President Mugabe — who has consistently led calls for the reform of the Security Council and democratisation of the UN system — was accompanied to New York by First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe, Ministers Simbarashe Mumbengegwi (Foreign Affairs) and Dr Walter Mzembi (Tourism and Hospitality Industry) and senior Government officials.

The Zimbabwean leader is expected to address the General Assembly and make his contribution to the Grand Debate today.

Yesterday, Mr Ban echoed Zimbabwe and Africa’s calls for changes to the main organs of the UN, namely the Security Council and the General Assembly.

“Sometimes we are our own worst enemies. Member states have still not agreed on a formula for reform of the Security Council — a continuing risk to its effectiveness and legitimacy.

“In the same spirit, I want to put on the table today a major and much needed reform for fairness and effectiveness in the United Nations. Far too often, I have seen widely-supported proposals blocked in the name of consensus by a few, or sometimes even just one country. We see this being done by large and small countries alike. Time and again, I have seen essential action and good ideas blocked in the Security Council. Blocked in the General Assembly. Blocked in the budget process. Blocked in the Conference on Disarmament and other bodies.

“Is it fair in this complicated 21st century for any one country, or a few countries, to yield such disproportionate power and hold the world hostage on so many important issues? Consensus should not be confused with unanimity. The global public is right to ask whether this is how an organisation in which we have invested so much hope and aspirations should function,” he said.

Mr Ban also slammed attempts to undermine the independence of the UN Secretariat.

Since formation in 1945, the Security Council’s permanent members with the power to veto just about any international decision have been Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States.

Africa’s core position — as carried in the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration — is for the continent to have at least two permanent representatives on the Security Council, and that should veto power be retained in the restructured organ, that same power must be given to Africa’s two members as well.

At yesterday’s General Assembly session, Mr Ban also said that the 17 Sustainable Development Goals and Paris Agreement on Climate Change provided the roadmap to betterment of the human condition, and all countries should fully subscribe to the ideals contained in the two key documents.

President Mugabe’s Government is a solid backer of both the SDGs and Paris Agreement.

Mr Ban said, “. . . after ten years in office, I am more convinced than ever that we have the power to end war, poverty and persecution. We have the means to prevent conflict. We have the potential to close the gap between rich and poor, and to make rights real in people’s lives.

“With the Sustainable Development Goals, we have a manifesto for a better future. With the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, we are tackling the defining challenge of our time. We have no time to lose. I urge you, leaders, to bring the Paris Agreement into force before the end of this year.”

Members of the UN are in the process of finding a successor to the South Korean diplomat, and indications are that the next Secretary-General will hail from Eastern Europe, and this could be the first time the organisation is headed by a woman.