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South Africans âEcstaticâ over Security Council Selection

   Peter Clottey 12 October 2010

Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS

   South Africa President Jacob Zuma

   The  chairman  of  the Walter Sisulu University Council told VOA South
   Africans  are ecstatic the country was among the five member countries
   elevated to a two-year term on the U.N Security Council Tuesday.

   Somadoda  Fikeni,  also  an  independent policy and political analyst,
   said South Africaâs election is a vote of confidence in the country by
   the international community.

   âThis  is a vote of confidence by the world on South Africa because it
   is  not  long  ago  that South Africa was occupying the same position.
   And,  it is unusual for the country to repeat the same position within
   such  a  short  space of time with a continental endorsement, plus the
   support from across the world.â

   Following  their  election, South Africa, India, Colombia, Germany and
   Portugal  will  become  non-veto  holding  members  of  the Council in
   January  with  the  mandate  to  impose  sanctions,  as well as deploy
   peacekeeping forces around the world.

AFP Photo

   U.N Security Council session

   Five  out  of  the 15-member Security Council countries are elected to
   two-year  terms.  The newly-elected countries are expected to take the
   places of Uganda, Mexico, Japan, Austria and Turkey.

   There  are  currently  only  five  permanent  members  of the Security
   Council  who  hold  veto-wielding  power, including the United States,
   China, France, Russia and Britain.

   Fikeni  said South Africaâs election to the Security Council serves as
   a significant boost to the African continent.

   âComing  very  close  after  the  successful hosting of the World Cup,
   which  was  branded as the Africa World Cup, it comes as a major boost
   to  a  continent  which,  in  spite  of  recession, is on the verge of
   economic  development,  and  has  also  been discovered as a source of
   minerals for strategic growth of the emerging market.â

   He  said  the  election will boost the âself-image of Africa, and also
   will  make  Africa  very  strong  in  terms of international calls for
   reforms of the United Nations.â

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