The University of Johannesburg’s Institute for Pan-African Thought and Conversation and the Sweden-based Nordic Africa Institute convened a hybrid seminar in Pretoria this month, of largely African and European scholars, to examine the potential influence of eight two-year rotating Elected 10 members of the United Nations Security Council: South Africa, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Tunisia, Niger, Sweden, Norway, and Germany.
South Africa served – with a 17-strong team – on the UN Security Council in 2019/2020, focusing on relations between the UN and Africa’s regional bodies; coordinating closely with the two other African members; and championing issues of Women and Security, Youth, and “Silencing the Guns.” It often acted independently, voting with China and Russia in 54% of cases, and the US in 31% of resolutions.
“Jasmine Revolution” – sought to represent an Arab and African identity on the Council between 2020/2021, focusing on Libya as well as Ethiopia’s Grand Renaissance Dam dispute with Egypt and Sudan. Its unusual change of two Permanent Representatives at the UN was, however, detrimental to the institutional continuity so vital to success on the Council.