By Masego Lehihi
Business Day (South Africa)July 25, 2000
SA IS not preoccupied with getting a permanent seat on an enlarged United Nations (UN) Security Council, but is concentrating on moves to transform the council to meet the challenges of the new century, foreign affairs director-general Sipho Pityana said yesterday.
Pityana told a press briefing that government wanted to look at what would be best for the continent and to see how Africas interests could be advanced through the council. The main concern is that Africa is fairly and equitably represented, and that the voice of the continent is heard, he said.
He disputed earlier reports that SA was competing with Egypt for a permanent seat on the council, saying African leaders still had to decide on who would represent Africa. The leaders also had to look at a range of issues, including the addition of five permanent members to the council.
Pityana said the Security Council needed to examine the representation of the South Latin America, Africa and Asia which will get three additional seats when the council expands. Pityana said discussions about the idea that Africas seat on the new council be rotated among the continents states had not been finalised.
He said the suggestion should be explored further as the Organisation of African Unity was currently using it. I do not believe Africas demand for two seats is all that unreasonable, said Pityana. He said SA had been urged to make itself available for a permanent seat on the council by some African countries.
