Minister Jeje Urges Urgency in UN Security Council Reform at Algiers AU Meeting

Uganda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gen. Odongo Jeje Abubakhar, has called for accelerated reforms of the United Nations Security Council during the 11th Ministerial Meeting of the African Union Committee of Ten (C-10) on UN Security Council reform.

The meeting, held on June 10, 2024, in Algiers, Algeria, brought together C-10 Foreign Ministers to discuss and strategize on the ongoing Intergovernmental Negotiations (IGN) at the United Nations General Assembly.

Gen. Odongo expressed concern over the slow pace and stagnation of the IGN process. He noted that while some progress has been made on various negotiation clusters, significant divergences remain, hindering the advancement of fruitful intergovernmental negotiations. Emphasizing the need for Africa to overcome its disunity and present a unified stance, Gen. Odongo reaffirmed Uganda’s support for comprehensive UN Security Council reform to address the long-standing injustice and imbalance in the current configuration.

Hon Jeje makes a point during the meeting (Photo by Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Algiers)

The meeting provided an opportunity for the C-10 to engage and assess the current state of play in the IGN process, develop strategies to advance the Common African Position (CAP), and determine the next steps. The C-10, composed of ten African countries, is mandated by the African Union (AU) to advocate for the African Common Position on UN Security Council reform, as outlined in the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration. The C-10 Member States include the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Kenya, Libya, Namibia, Senegal, Sierra Leone (Coordinator), Uganda, and Zambia.

On the sidelines of the meeting, Gen. Odongo paid a courtesy call on H.E. Abdelmadjid Tebboune, President of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria. He also held bilateral talks with H.E. Ahmed Attaf, Minister of Foreign Affairs and National Community Abroad of Algeria, to discuss areas of cooperation between the two countries.

Gen. Odongo was accompanied by Amb. Philip Odida, Acting Director of Regional and Political Affairs in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Amb. Rebecca Otengo, Permanent Representative to the African Union in Addis Ababa, along with other senior officials.