THE UNITED NATIONS TREAT AFRICAN NATIONS LIKE SECOND CLASS CITIZENS. The United Nations Security Council can be compared to an “old boys club,” a cliché literally used to describe a social and business network among former pupils of male-only private schools. In this case, the term is used satirically, describing a network specifically and separately upheld to preserve elitism — economic, political, and military superiority. This network, since its inception, first excluded African countries. Subsequently, African countries were invited to sit at the roundtable. However, these seats may be described as mere tickets to the gallery with express permission to sit, observe, and applaud, since Africa has not been provided with veto power in the Security Council. The Security Council is a critical and central organ of the U.N. It is mandated with unequalled powers to maintain international peace and security. Outlined in the U.N. Charter, the Security Council’s powers, which are executed through resolutions, include establishment of peacekeeping operations, establishment of international sanctions, and the authorization of military actions. Since its founding in 1946, the Security Council has consisted of five permanent members who hold sole authority to veto substantive resolutions put before the Security Council for deliberation. These five permanent members include four nations that are considered the victorious powers of World War II: The Republic of China (replaced by “The People’s Republic of China”), The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (succeeded by “Russia”), the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and one nation liberated from Nazi Germany during World War II: France. The veto power exercised by the aforementioned five permanent members finds its importance in Article 27 of the U.N. Charter. Under Article 27, a resolution on substantive matters is adopted if nine or more of the 15 Security Council members vote in its favor and if the resolution is not vetoed by any of the five permanent members. In essence, through the last 60 years, together these five permanent members have maintained authority over major decisions affecting and controlling the economic, political, military, and social direction of the world. Consequently, due to the fact that Africa is not a permanent member of the Security Council and does not have veto power, the continent has been left without a decisive voice in the direction of the world.
Posted on: Wed, 19 Mar 2014 14:17:52 +0000
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