Ambassador Bendjama chairs UN General Assembly meeting on Security Council reform

The Permanent Representative of Algeria to the United Nations, Ambassador Amar Bendjama, chaired, on Monday, the meeting of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to discuss equitable representation on the Security Council as well as other issues related to the Council.

This activity is part of Algeria's election by acclamation last June as Vice-President of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly.

In his speech he made on behalf of Algeria, Ambassador Amar Bendjama reaffirmed our country's full support, in its capacity as a member of the G10, to the common African position, as set out by the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration.

He recalled that the Heads of State and Government had approved, through the adoption of the Pact for the Future last September, a fundamental criterion for the reform of the Security Council, namely the need to address, as a priority, the historical injustice inflicted on Africa and to treat the continent as a special case.

Bendjama stressed, in his speech, that the world has changed a lot since the creation of the Security Council in 1945, adding that the composition of the Council no longer reflects the reality of the current global system, and its legitimacy and effectiveness are increasingly being questioned, including the veto power held by the five permanent members.

Bendjama lamented the failure of the Council to fulfil its mandate, referring to the genocide suffered by the Palestinians for more than a year, and the intensification and expansion of aggression without that the Council being able to stop it.

As a member of this body, Algeria is closely witnessing the shortcomings of this system, particularly in terms of transparency and accountability, he said, noting that this system allows a small group of countries to dictate the Council's agenda and make decisions.

The lack of transparency during consultations and negotiations, particularly those led by mouthpieces, exacerbates ambiguity and exclusivity, he added.

“The reform may not happen anytime soon, for reasons we all know. However, there must be a starting point,” he emphasized, stressing the imperative to strengthen transparency and demand accountability within the Council without delay.

He also stressed the need to hold the mouthpieces accountable and to demand answers from them.

The reform of the Security Council will only confer more legitimacy on it, and will allow it to face the pressing security challenges of the 21st century while ensuring that the UN can continue to play its essential role as it did at its creation.