Japan to push for an African seat in the UN Security Council
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The African continent has not seen a sole representation of itself in the top UN body.
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UN Security Council meeting
Japan is using its powers in the United Nations Security Council to push for an African seat in the world body, as revealed by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Sunday.
"Japan reiterates its determination to redress the historical injustice against Africa of not being represented through a permanent membership on the Security Council," Kishida told the Tokyo International Conference on African Development in Tunis.
"In order for the UN to work effectively for peace and stability there is an urgent need to strengthen the UN as a whole through Security Council reform," he said. The UN faces "a moment of truth."
Japan was one of 5 countries that were elected in June to hold a non-permanent seat in the UNSC for 2023 and 2024.
Tokyo, in Kishida's announcement on Saturday through a live video due to contracting COVID-19, announced that it plans to invest around $30 billion in Africa over the next 3 years and that it will also appoint a special envoy to the Horn of Africa.
See next: 22 million face starvation in the Horn of Africa
Japan will be pumping about $8.3 million into Liptako-Gourma tri-borders between Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, which have been recently experiencing heavy armed conflict. It is noteworthy that the region is rich in gold and other resources.
The allocated funds will "develop good cooperation between residents and local authorities," in addition to helping improve administrative services for the 5 million residents living in the area, Kishida claimed.
He also revealed that Tokyo will be training police officers and support "fair and transparent" elections on the continent. Japan, within this context, "pledges" its support to the rule of law in Africa.
The UN Security Council engulfs 15 members, with 5 holding veto powers: The United States, Russia, China, France, and Britain. The remaining 10 members are non-permanent, signing 2-year-long contracts to become part of the body.
