Equatorial Guinea’sDeputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Salomón Nfa Ndong, called on the African Union (AU) member countries’ support for its candidacy as a non-permanent member of the United Nations (UN) Security Council at the Africa Day celebration, held at the Manhattan Center in New York.
During his opening remarks, delegate minister said that more than 70% of the subjects addressed in the Security Council relate to Africa; however, Africa is the only region that has no representation in the Security Council as a Permanent Member.
The Republic of Equatorial Guinea has been a member of the UN since the 12 of November of 1968, but this is the first time that the country is postulated as a candidate to the post of a non-permanent member of the Security Council. The candidacy of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea as a non-permanent member of the Security Council was backed by the AU during the Summit of Heads of State and Government held in June 2015 in Johannesburg, South-Africa.
At the ceremony, Nfa Ndong highlighted Equatorial Guinea’s contributions to international affairs, South-South cooperation, prevention and peaceful resolution of conflicts, fight against terrorism, and development of youth. “It is a collective and shared responsibility of all Africans to ensure adequate investment in the development of the most precious asset of our continent, youth. A peaceful and secure Africa requires an empowered generation of young people.”
He continued to say that, “with approximately more than 60 percent of the population below 24 years of age, it is not surprising that being at the dawn of the implementation of the African Union 2063 Sustainable Development Agenda and the United Nations 2030, that the African Heads of State and Governments have devoted the year 2017 on the theme: Harnessing the demographic dividend through investments in youth.”
The Africa Day ceremony marked the 54th anniversary of the founding of the Organization.
UN Security Council elections for the 2018-2019 period will be held at the UN on June 2.