Report of the Open-ended Working Group on the Question of Equitable Representation on and Increase in the Membership of the Security Council and Other Matters Related to the Security Council
Annex XII
HARARE DECLARATION OF THE ASSEMBLY OF HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT OF THE ORGANIZATION OF AFRICAN UNITY ON THE REFORM OF THE UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL*
Submitted by Zimbabwe on behalf of the Organization of African Unity
We, the Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity meeting in our thirty-third ordinary session at Harare from 2 to 4 June 1997,
Reaffirming the Declaration we adopted at Tunis at the thirtieth ordinary session of our Assembly, on the reform of the United Nations Security Council,
Reiterating the need to democratize the Security Council and make it more efficient and transparent,
Convinced of the necessity to enlarge the composition of the Security Council and reform its decision-making process,
Stressing the imperative need for ensuring equitable geographical representation in the Security Council,
Recognizing the collective responsibility of maintaining international peace and security in accordance with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations,
Declare as follows:
- The composition of the Security Council should be democratized to reflect the increase in the number of States Members of the United Nations;
- The membership of the Security Council should be expanded to 26. This expansion of the Security Council should embrace both categories of its membership, for the benefit of developing countries, and African countries in particular;
(a) Africa should be allocated no less than two permanent seats. These seats will be allotted to countries by a decision of Africans themselves, in accordance with a system of rotation based on the current established criteria of the Organization of African Unity and subsequent elements which might improve upon these criteria;
(b) Africa should be allocated five non-permanent seats in the expanded Security Council;
- New permanent members should be granted the same prerogatives and powers as the current members. Ultimately, the permanent members should also be nominated by their respective regions and elected by the General Assembly. Such a system of periodic elections of permanent members of the Security Council, will in the final analysis ensure that the decisions of the Council are less subject to the strictly national interests of its various members;
- It is necessary to strengthen the transparency of the Security Council, improve upon its functioning, methods of work, decision-making process and relations with States non-members of the Council. We endorse the measures proposed in the relevant document of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries, adopted at New Delhi on 8 April 1997;
- A periodic review of the structure and functioning of the Security Council is necessary in order to enable it to respond better and more effectively to the new challenges in international relations, especially with regard to international peace and security;
- By adopting these decisions, we reaffirm that:
(a) Efforts aimed at restructuring the Security Council should not be subjected to a pre-determined timetable. While we recognize the need to deal with the issue as a matter of urgency, no decision should be taken before a general agreement has been reached.
(b) The same importance should be accorded to the enlargement of the composition of the Security Council and improvement in its method of work;
(c) The exercise of the right of veto should be progressively curtailed until abrogated;
- In pursuit of the above, we:
(a) Direct the Group of African States at the United Nations to continue to consider in detail the proposals submitted to the Open-ended Working Group on the restructuring of the Security Council in order to arrive at a general agreement which takes into account the interests of Africa;
(b) Mandate our Permanent Representatives at the United Nations in New York to continue to defend the African common position and examine in greater detail the concept and modalities of rotation as well as its application to the permanent seats;
- Finally, we request our Ministers for Foreign Affairs to remain seized of the matter and its developments.
*Adopted at the thirty-third ordinary session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government, held at Harare from 2 to 4 June 1997; previously issued as A/AC.247/1997/CRP.11 of 27 June 1997.
