EDITORIAL: Geingob blasts UNSC
President Hage Geingob’s hard-hitting tone at the just-concluded BRICS summit in South Africa regarding the status quo of the United Nations Security Council is commendable.
"We hope that BRICS will not be divided like the United Nations, which has a Security Council for the few with veto powers and the General Assembly for the majority of member States who don’t enjoy the same privilege of a veto" – these were Geingob’s words to his fellow leaders in the developing world who attended the summit.
At times, African leaders have chosen to speak modestly against injustices on geopolitical matters, with many seemingly choosing to abstain on key global issues.
This diplomatic stance has resulted in the big geopolitical players trampling on the needs of Africa because the leaders who are voted into power are too scared to rock the boat.
As a continent, we continue to sing the same old song of how the continent is filled to the brim with natural resources but its people live in perpetual poverty with no end in sight. It is safe to say that the fear and lack of boldness on the part of African leaders to call a spade a spade is the reason why poverty is so prevalent on the continent.
It is high time African leaders transcend from being mere attendees at some of these international forums to active participants who place the needs of their people at the forefront.
The neutral stance we have taken over the years as a continent on pertinent matters relating to bilateral and multilateral affairs has clearly not worked in our favour; the time is thus opportune for us to change our tone and alignment on matters of interest.
"We hope that BRICS will not be divided like the United Nations, which has a Security Council for the few with veto powers and the General Assembly for the majority of member States who don’t enjoy the same privilege of a veto" – these were Geingob’s words to his fellow leaders in the developing world who attended the summit.
At times, African leaders have chosen to speak modestly against injustices on geopolitical matters, with many seemingly choosing to abstain on key global issues.
This diplomatic stance has resulted in the big geopolitical players trampling on the needs of Africa because the leaders who are voted into power are too scared to rock the boat.
As a continent, we continue to sing the same old song of how the continent is filled to the brim with natural resources but its people live in perpetual poverty with no end in sight. It is safe to say that the fear and lack of boldness on the part of African leaders to call a spade a spade is the reason why poverty is so prevalent on the continent.
It is high time African leaders transcend from being mere attendees at some of these international forums to active participants who place the needs of their people at the forefront.
The neutral stance we have taken over the years as a continent on pertinent matters relating to bilateral and multilateral affairs has clearly not worked in our favour; the time is thus opportune for us to change our tone and alignment on matters of interest.
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