MOZAMBIQUE Wins Seat On Powerful UNITED NATIONS Security Council

June 2022
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Flag of Republic of Mozambique (Credit: Wikipedia Commons)

By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES

UNITED NATIONS – NEW YORK – The Republic of Mozambique has won a seat on the powerful United Nations Security Council for 2023/24. Mozambique secured 192 votes in the 192-nation General Assembly in New York on Thursday to win a two year non-permanent seat. Overall, 192 UN Member States participated in the election. Mozambique is representing the Southern Africa sub-region in this year’s election, in accordance with the rotation pattern in the African Group. Ecuador, Japan, Malta, Mozambique and Switzerland will join the UN body responsible for the maintenance of global peace and security, beginning in January 2023. All of this year’s candidates—Ecuador, Japan, Malta, Mozambique, and Switzerland— were running unopposed. Mozambique and Switzerland are among 62 UN member states —32.1 percent of the total membership—that have never been on the Council. During its campaign, Mozambique highlighted its history in fighting against racial injustice, making known that it was a front-line state in the struggle against apartheid in South Africa. And according to The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Verónica Nataniel Macamo Dlhovo:

The Mozambican candidacy stands on the motto “International Peace and Security and Sustainable Development”

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation has stated that Mozambique’s candidacy “underlines our firm commitment to the construction and maintenance of international peace and security, the preservation and respect for human rights and promoting sustainable development”.

(Photo by Gary Raynaldo / ©Diplomatic Times ) Mozambique Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Verónica Nataniel Macamo Dlhovo at press briefing outside the UN General Assembly hall after Mozambique elected to Security Council at UN world headquarters in New York June 9, 2022.

(Photo by Gary Raynaldo / ©Diplomatic Times ) Mozambique Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Verónica Nataniel Macamo Dlhovo at press briefing with staff outside the UN General Assembly hall after Mozambique elected to Security Council at UN world headquarters in New York June 9, 2022

(Photo by Gary Raynaldo / ©Diplomatic Times ) Mozambique Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Verónica Nataniel Macamo Dlhovo at press briefing outside the UN General Assembly hall after Mozambique elected to Security Council at UN world headquarters in New York June 9, 2022

YOUTUBE VIDEO – Mozambique Foreign Minister

MOZAMBIQUE Wins Seat On Powerful UNITED NATIONS Security Council – YouTube

YOUTUBE VIDEO – Mozambique Foreign Minister – On Africa Relations

MOZAMBIQUE Wins Seat On Powerful UNITED NATIONS Security Council – YouTube

YOUTUBE VIDEO UN SECURITY COUNCIL ELECTIONS

MOZAMBIQUE ELECTED SEAT ON UN SECURITY COUNCIL

(Photo by Gary Raynaldo / ©Diplomatic Times ) A view of the UN General Assembly during voting on new non-permanent members in New York June 09, 2022.

The five seats available for election in 2022, according to the regular distribution among regions, will be as follows:

one seat for the African Group (currently held by Kenya);
one seat for the Asia-Pacific Group (currently held by India);
one seat for the Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC, currently held by Mexico); and
two seats for the Western European and Others Group (WEOG, currently held by Ireland and Norway).

Switzerland will also be a newcomer to the Council. The country received 187 votes, and Malta 185 votes, again with two countries abstaining. The five newly-elected countries will join Albania, Brazil, Gabon, Ghana and the United Arab Emirates around the Security Council’s powerful signature horseshoe table.

(Photo by Gary Raynaldo / ©Diplomatic Times ) A view of the UN General Assembly during voting on new non-permanent members in New York June 09, 2022.

Last September 2021, Mozambique President Filipe Jacinto Nyusi, in announcing his nation’s candidacy for seat on UN Security council explained:

“Since our independence, we have always affirmed, as a priority of our foreign policy, our commitment to be a country that defends the independence, peace and prosperity of the peoples, building solid bridges, making more friends and increasing mutually beneficial partnerships. On this note, it is also worth noting the conclusion of the Nkomati Agreement, which aimed at a relatively peaceful coexistence between two neighbouring states with different ideologies and perspectives at that time, without hindering the solidarity duty of Mozambique in relation to the just struggle of the Southern African people. It should be recalled that, at the service of the United Nations Security Council, Mozambique has already integrated peacekeeping missions in Burundi, East Timor, Comoros, Darfur, Sudan, South Sudan, Guinea-Bissau, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Our commitment to Peace is total and unwavering. Time and time again, the country has lent its strengths, either on behalf of the State or individually, to mitigate conflict and/or find negotiated solutions to conflicts.”

Situation in Mozambique on Security Council Agenda in 1990’s

The situation in Mozambique was on the agenda of the Security Council in the 1990’s, and the UN Operation in Mozambique (ONUMOZ) was deployed to monitor the peace agreement signed between the Mozambican National Resistance (RENAMO) and the Front for Liberation of Mozambique (FRELAMO) in 1992. Thus, Mozambique strongly believes its experience as a post-conflict state broadens its understanding of the Security Council’s efforts to confront difficult global peace and security challenges.

MOZAMBIQUE Must Not Remain Neutral on Russia-Ukraine War

Mozambique President Filipe Nyusi (Credit: Wikipedia Common)

In an article in 360mozambique.com last month, Mozambique President Nyusi spoke about the importance of Mozambique having a seat on the powerful, influential UN Security Council. In a speech at at the closing of the V Ordinary Session of the Central Committee of the Party, which took place in Matola, Maputo province, President Nyusi stated that Mozambique intents to be “neutral” in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

“…our position will be of non-alignment in the war between Russia and Ukraine, encouraging the parties to resolve this conflict through dialogue to avoid the loss of more human lives and other losses arising from the war, “

-Mozambique President Nyusi

It is apparent now that African nations’ multiple abstentions on U.S.-led resolutions at the United Nations condemning Russia is evidence they may be seeking a new “Non-Aligned Movement” in UN. But the truth of the matter, as the Cold War showed, there can be no real neutrality in a NAM. Many African nations did not want to bite the hand that was feeding them, in the case of the Soviet Union then. There is a new Cold War between NATO and Russia at the moment. Russia and China would like to encourage a contemporary Non-Aligned Movement among developing African nations. A new NAM would undermine the West’s efforts to promote a global democratic order. Hence, Mozambique must use its clout in the Security Council to take a strong position against the Russian-Ukraine conflict given the obvious human rights violations and possible war crimes committed by Moscow soldiers.

Tagged with: Africa, Elections, Mozambique

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