Algeria's representative at the UN Security Council (UNSC) has accused Israel of disregarding international law, emphasizing the need for accountability and respect for Palestinian rights and sovereignty. In a letter dated 30 July 2024, the Permanent Representative of Sierra Leone to the United Nations addresses the Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council, emphasizing the need to rectify historical injustices and improve Africa's representation in the UN Security Council. The letter called for reforms that would ensure Africa has a more effective and equitable role in global decision-making processes.
Transcript
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Secretary General of the Ministry of
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Foreign Affairs and National Community
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abroad of
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aeria thank you Mr
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President your
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Excellency Julius maabo president of the
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Republic of Sierra
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Leon I'm honored to con to you all and
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to the president of the Republic of
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Sierra Leon his Excellency Mr yulius
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Madu
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specifically the greetings of the
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president of the Republic Mr Abdul Majid
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tabun who wishes you success in your
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deliberations today he is fully
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confident that this open debate convened
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by the Republic of Sierra Leon
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coordinator of the C10 on Security
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Council reform would contribute to
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informing council members on the pillars
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and objectives of the common African
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position I would also like to thank the
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Secretary General of the United Nations
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Mr Antonio gues and the president of the
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78th session of the general assembly Mr
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Dennis Francis for their valuable
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briefings that have set the scene and
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reviewed the latest developments in the
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security Council reform process and the
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challenges in this regard
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we have listened
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carefully to the representative of Civil
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Society Miss
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sit I would also like to welcome the
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high level
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participation
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of his Excellency Mr Pia mushanga
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minister of internal relations and
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cooperation from Namibia and his
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Excellency General odongo abubakar
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Minister for foreign affairs of Uganda
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Mr President our meeting today is held
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in in international and Regional context
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that is fraud with challenges and risks
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that undermine International Peace and
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security
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a context that is characterized by
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renewed politicization and polarization
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rather between major Powers by the
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erosion of international law by relapse
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into a selective approach in determining
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un priorities by the application of
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double standards by an increasing choice
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to use Force as a way to settle disputes
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we are witnessing a severe crisis in the
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collective security
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architecture the Security
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Council is almost completely paralyzed
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it has repeatedly failed to put an end
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or even to curb fet complete policies
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and unilateral
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measures the security Council
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has been giving precedence to the
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interests of the powerful over the
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interests of the weak it has been
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providing protection and political cover
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to the act of the shamefully unjust at
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the expense of the legitimate rights of
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those who have been
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wronged in this crisis the International
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Community is standing standing idly by
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as crisis after crisis unfold and
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deteriorate in an unprecedented manner
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this makes it difficult to deal
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effectively with these crisis
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and threatens the possibility of
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reaching solutions that contribute to
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achieving International Peace and
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security the African content has been
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suffering from this painful
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reality especially in the sahal region
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security development and humanitarian
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challenges have taken worrying
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Dimensions there are increasing external
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interventions there are conflicts of
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interest terrorism has been under rise
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organized crime has been on on Rise
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there have been increasing hotspots and
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there have been worrying
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unconstitutional
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changes in these countries this is
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reminiscent of a period of time that we
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thought has long
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gone these developments prompt us all to
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continue working together
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to allow African countries that are
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going to through turmoil to go back to
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the political track and to give
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precedence to dialogue and consensual
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solutions that do not exclude anybody to
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achieve peace and security and stability
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that the these countries aspire to in
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the same context we have to remind you
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of the continued suffering of the
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saharawi people in Western Sahara
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occupied for more than 50 years these
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people have been waiting patiently for
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recognition by the International
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Community of it right inable right to
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the to self-determination and ending the
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exploitation of its natural resources in
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an illegal way it has been waiting for
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stopping the practices of occupation
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that violate its legitimate rights this
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people have been looking for the
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implementation of Security Council
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resolutions and taking tangible action
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to push forward the
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settlement
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process at as part of decolonization
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efforts by the UN according to the
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parameters agreed upon by the security
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Council of course we have to recall the
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suffering of the brotherly Palestinian
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people that is deteriorating day after
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day amid the genocidal War launched by
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the occupation forces on the Palestinian
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people for more than 10 months as a
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result of the inability of the security
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Council to compel the Israeli occupier
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to stop its violation and its crimes its
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violations of international law the
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expansionist
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Israeli
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occupation is completely disregarding
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international law Mr President these
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developments that present a new real
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reality must be dealt with in a spirit
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of responsibility must be dealt with
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decisively based on the principles and
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values that we are Guided by all these
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developments has brought to the for the
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issue of Security Council reform the
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International Community must pay due
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attention to this issue we are more and
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more convinced that the council today
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needs an African voice a voice of reason
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a voice on commitment a voice of
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responsibility against this background
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the African position in the negotiations
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on Security Council reform is based on
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the principles of the isini consensus
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and the C declaration this is the main
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and only frame of reference this frame
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of reference has been strengthened
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also by the arguments contained in the
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outcome communique of the 15th Summit of
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the C10 held in oala in Equatorial
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Guinea in November
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2023 in addition to the outcome of the
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11th meeting of the C10 foreign
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ministers hosted by Algeria last
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June the arguments can be summarized as
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follows we call first of all for
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redressing the historical injust Justice
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inflicted on the African continent it is
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the only group that is not represented
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in the permanent membership category and
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is under represented in the
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non-permanent membership
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category this is why Africa calls for
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its right to be allocated two permanent
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seats and additional two Perman two
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non-permanent seats with all the
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Privileges associated with these seats
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second we call for the reform process
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to ensure the effectiveness of the
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council and its ability to act in the
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face of increasing challenges to
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International Peace and security we need
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to develop a vision that allows the
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security Council to dissociate itself
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from polarization and to focus more on
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its role and responsibilities according
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to the Charter of the UN third we call
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for a resolution that is not only
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confined to ensuring more representation
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for developing
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countries especially Africa the reform
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must include issues related to the
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working methods of the council the use
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of the veto right and the interaction
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between the council and other un
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entities expanding the membership alone
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does not ensure the necessary
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Effectiveness if the working methods are
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not
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improved representation without
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Effectiveness is insufficient and
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Effectiveness without representation
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does not achieve the required at desired
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goals
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fourth permanent members in the council
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might might must demonstrate explicit
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commitment and support to the reform
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process by responding to the aspirations
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of the African continent the legitimate
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aspirations permanent members
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must participate in a constructive way
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in the IGN and work seriously to re to
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reach a consensus on Security Council
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reform the general assembly and the IGN
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must remain
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the only platform to discuss security
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Council reform any attempts to change
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this and allow for
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parallel plans must be rejected Mr
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President these are the ideas that I
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wanted to convey to you on behalf of my
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country Algeria is firmly committed to
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the common African position under the
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leadership of the C10
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coordinator president of the uh Republic
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of Sierra Leone his Excellency Julius
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bada
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madao against this background as and as
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a non-permanent member of the council
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Algeria
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is going to remain a faithful voice in
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the service of Africa and its
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aspirations we are committed to pushing
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for redressing the historical Injustice
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inflicted upon Africa when it comes to
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inequitable Regional representation of
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the security Council in the same spirit
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and with the same commitment we will do
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our utmost to maintain The credibility
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of the security Council and ensure its
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its ability to respond promptly to
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increasing challenges to International
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Peace and security I thank you for your
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attention
