By Watchdog reporter
President Yoweri Museveni has said that the veto power that is exercised in the United Nations Security Council can be modified to apply only on the agreed areas but not eliminated.
“The veto can operate only on defined areas where applicable, even though it’s not monopolized but can be focused on a core cluster of issues,” he observed.
The President made the remarks during discussions with a visiting Japanese delegation from the UN Security Council who called on him at State House, Entebbe yesterday.
The visiting delegation, led by Mr. Masaharu Kono, who is also Special Envoy of the Japanese Prime Minister, included Deputy Director in the Japanese Foreign Ministry, Mr. Masato Sagisaka and Mr. Yutaka Nakamura and Mr. Jin Hashimoto both of the Japanese Embassy in Uganda.
The P5 power
The Permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, also known as the Permanent Five (P5) include the governments of China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. The members represent the 5 great powers considered the victors in the 2nd World War.
Formal discussion about reforming the UN Security Council began with the 1993 establishment of the open-ended working group on the questions of equitable representation on the Council and an increase in its membership.
The United Kingdom and France have backed the G4’s bid for permanent seats on the UN Security Council, while the United Stares and UK support Japan. All members of P5 have supported India’s bids although China had previously implied it would be ready to support India’s bid if only New Delhi did not associate its bid with Japan.
Members of the G4 include Brazil, Germany, India and Japan and each of these nations support each other’s bids for permanent seats on the United Nations Security Council.
President Museveni observed that when African countries agree with the Group of Four (G4) on veto powers, the issues of veto and parity will be disciplined thereby generating a consensus for the G4 and Africa to move.
“If we can merge the position of Africa and G4, including P5, then we shall have a very strong movement,” he said.
The G4 nations, which are primarily seeking their own permanent membership on the United Nations Security Council, back the African Groups’ bids for 2 permanent African seats.
Uganda influence
Uganda, which is a member of the Committee of 10 (C – 10), is considered influential on the African continent and beyond that could hold the key in the re-invigoration of the reform process of the UN Security Council. The C -10 is an African continental Economic Committee that was established in 2008 comprising 2 representatives each from Northern, Southern, Eastern, Western and Central Africa. The continental Committee is co-hosted by the African Union, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa and the African Development Bank.
The Japanese Special Envoy said that most of African leaders support the Japanese step-by-step move to fight injustice. Mr. Masaharu Kono also asked President Museveni to give support to Japan on the Security Council reforms.
