By Alusine Fullah
Sierra Leone has assumed her seat at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on 1st January, 2024, a development that has happened for the second time in the nation’s history. This is a strong recognition of Sierra Leone’s remarkable progress, particularly under the leadership of President Bio and a shining symbol for a nation overcoming adversity.
After this milestone development, Expo Times spoke with the Minister of Information, Chernor Bah, on the phone. He said: “President Bio means well for Sierra Leone, which is why he got the votes on 6 June, 2023 and today we have finally achieved it…this shows President Bio’s insights about foreign policies. Sierra Leone will now be part of the P5 membership, inclusive of the USA and UK. Sierra Leone will now push the agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development…”
Patriotic Sierra Leoneans are intrigued by the development after 53 years of being absent at the world’s highest security body.
Sierra Leone achieved a significant milestone on 6 June, 2023 when it was elected as a non-permanent member at the UN Security Council from 2024 to 2025. The then Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Prof. David Francis spoke to the BBC on the importance of the development to Sierra Leone.
“Today marks a momentous day for Sierra Leone. We are returning to the UN Security Council in the non-permanent category after 53 years. Being voted for by 188 countries [there are 193 UN member states] is a demonstration of the respect for Sierra Leone.Sierra Leone is no longer defined by its troubled past. Today we are considered a liberal, progressive, confident and enterprising nation.As you know, Sierra Leone is the Chair of the African Union Committee of 10 (C-10) for the reform of the UN Security Council. Sierra Leone’s absence can be attributed to several factors, including a difficult period marked by a brutal civil war, bad governance and near-state failure,” the then Foreign Minister explained.
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN) and is charged with ensuring international peace and security,recommending the admission of new UN members to the General Assembly,and approving any changes to the UN Charter. Its powers as outlined in the United Nations Charter include establishing peacekeeping operations, enacting international sanctions, and authorizing military action. The UNSC is the only UN body with authority to issue resolutions that are binding on member states.
Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Sunday, January 7th, 2023 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)