What being a member of the UN Security Council means for Uganda
ON Friday October 17, 2008, Uganda was elected to the UN Security Council as a non-permanent member, for a two-year term, beginning 2009.
By Frederick Womakuyu
ON Friday October 17, 2008, Uganda was elected to the UN Security Council as a non-permanent member, for a two-year term, beginning 2009.
Uganda, whose mandate is to represent the whole of Africa, was elected alongside Austria, Turkey, Japan and Mexico. According to the UN Charter, the Security Council is an organ of the UN, charged with the maintenance of world peace and security. The organ wields great power, including the establishment of international peace, ability to impose sanctions and dispatch peace keepers.
Uganda, which succeeded South Africa, joined the UN in October 1962 and was called to serve at the Security Council in 1966 and 1981 to 1982.
Both academics and foreign ministry officials agree that Uganda stands to enormously benefit from its new found role.
Sam Kutesa, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, says Uganda’s position will be enhanced and valued accordingly.
“By getting involved in solving issues of global magnitude and interacting with big powers, Uganda will have a unique opportunity to access resources for our own development priorities for social, economic and political transformation,†he says.
Prof. Martin Mulekwa (retired), formerly of Political Science, Makerere University, says: “There are studies that show that the countries which are on the Security Council with non–permanent seats benefit financially. Aid from the developed world tends to flow into these countries when they are in a position to help or hurt.
“One study showed that US aid increases by 59% to countries when they serve on the Security Council.â€
Uganda, which was already assured of a seat from unanimous regional backing, will also stand a higher chance of securing appointments to international positions for Ugandan nationals, who in turn, will carry Uganda’s influence behind the scenes, Kutesa adds.
Prof. Augustus Nuwagaba, a lecturer at the Department of Political Science, Makerere University, says being on the Security Council is the highest level of political representation.
“One wields the power of brokering between powerful and less powerful states. It has an advantage for bargaining for trade concessions to increases the competitiveness of countries like Uganda on the World Trade talks,†he says, adding that Uganda will always be consulted on decisions on major global affairs.
Nuwagaba says it will help Uganda to improve its peace situation, like solving the northern Uganda problem.
“It will be able to convince the members to give resources and if need be, peace keepers to help restore peace in the region. It means that poverty will be reduced if peace is maintained,†Nuwagaba says.
Kutesa stresses that according to the rules of procedure, the presidency of the Security Council is held on a monthly rotation among members.
“It rotates in alphabetical order of the member nations’ names in English. The role of the Security Council involves setting the agenda, presiding at its meetings and overseeing any crisis,†Kutesa says.
The Security Council is composed of five permanent members (China, France, Russia, the UK and the US) and 10 non–permanent members.
Each council member has one vote. Decisions on procedural matters are made by an affirmative vote of at least nine of the 15 members.
“Decisions on substantive matters require nine votes, including the concurring votes of all five permanent members. This is the rule of ‘great power unanimity’, often referred to as the ‘veto’ power,†Nuwagaba says.
Mulekwa adds that Uganda, as a member of the Security Council, increased the power it wields in international issues, at least for the next two years. Many countries will try to gain Uganda’s approval on important issues.
“On all other matters, such as imposing sanctions or authorising a peace enforcement mission, the permanent five have to ‘concur’ (meaning, in practice, not veto), but a majority of at least nine votes is also still required for a resolution to pass.
“Simple arithmetic tells us, then, that the non-permanent members’ votes do count, and in some cases (the question of action against Iraq in 2003, for example), have counted decisively. The big boys alone cannot decide an urgent security council matter,†Mulekwa says.
Nuwagaba cautions that despite the privileges, there is also a dark side to joining the Security Council.
“The Security Council is not a popular body. It takes unpopular decisions,†he says. Some powerful countries of the rearmament five take unpopular decisions by working outside the mandate of the Security Council. They also influence smaller states like Uganda to adopt their view. For example what happened when the US invaded Iraq without a Security Council resolution and countries like Uganda later supported the decision.â€
He says such countries risk being hated by others for taking the position of the permanent members, thus facing isolation.
Nuwagaba says being a member increases the patronage syndrome, where smaller states like Uganda can be put into the pockets of powerful countries, as their puppets.
“Given the beggar-master relationship, there is no doubt that Uganda will play a beggar role,†he adds.
Mulekwa says Uganda is the only country representing the 53 states of Africa, with diverse interests and the challenge will be building consensus to articulate one African position.
“If Uganda tries to play against other African countries by agreeing to the position of the super five without putting into mind the interests of the Africans, it risks far reaching consequences like hatred and conflict of interest. Uganda should represent the views of the Africans.â€
Nuwagaba, says Uganda’s position is well-deserved. “Uganda is an epicentre of both internal and external security. It has demonstrated its capacity to maintain peace in the country and act as a power broker among warring factions in the region.â€
He explains that Uganda was the first country to send peace-keeping troops to Somalia — a country that has had civil war since the overthrow of the Siad Barre regime in 1990.
“Uganda was able to broker peace among Burundians and the Executive has been consistent in supporting peace efforts despite the Parliament’s dissenting position. It also sent troops to Darfur and it is determined to fight terrorism,†Nuwagaba adds.
Mulekwa agrees, saying Uganda has also demonstrated to the international community that it has the capacity to deal with terrorism.
“It enacted the terrorism law and it was among the first countries to support the US against international terrorism. The embassies of America in Kenya and Tanzania were attacked, but Uganda had the capacity to monitor the activities of terrorists and that is why it is respected,†he says.
Nuwagaba adds that Uganda also hosted the 2007 Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting successfully, bringing in many world leaders. This was a sign of both security strength and a potential world economic power.
ON Friday October 17, 2008, Uganda was elected to the UN Security Council as a non-permanent member, for a two-year term, beginning 2009.
Uganda, whose mandate is to represent the whole of Africa, was elected alongside Austria, Turkey, Japan and Mexico. According to the UN Charter, the Security Council is an organ of the UN, charged with the maintenance of world peace and security. The organ wields great power, including the establishment of international peace, ability to impose sanctions and dispatch peace keepers.
Uganda, which succeeded South Africa, joined the UN in October 1962 and was called to serve at the Security Council in 1966 and 1981 to 1982.
Both academics and foreign ministry officials agree that Uganda stands to enormously benefit from its new found role.
Sam Kutesa, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, says Uganda’s position will be enhanced and valued accordingly.
“By getting involved in solving issues of global magnitude and interacting with big powers, Uganda will have a unique opportunity to access resources for our own development priorities for social, economic and political transformation,†he says.
Prof. Martin Mulekwa (retired), formerly of Political Science, Makerere University, says: “There are studies that show that the countries which are on the Security Council with non–permanent seats benefit financially. Aid from the developed world tends to flow into these countries when they are in a position to help or hurt.
“One study showed that US aid increases by 59% to countries when they serve on the Security Council.â€
Uganda, which was already assured of a seat from unanimous regional backing, will also stand a higher chance of securing appointments to international positions for Ugandan nationals, who in turn, will carry Uganda’s influence behind the scenes, Kutesa adds.
Prof. Augustus Nuwagaba, a lecturer at the Department of Political Science, Makerere University, says being on the Security Council is the highest level of political representation.
“One wields the power of brokering between powerful and less powerful states. It has an advantage for bargaining for trade concessions to increases the competitiveness of countries like Uganda on the World Trade talks,†he says, adding that Uganda will always be consulted on decisions on major global affairs.
Nuwagaba says it will help Uganda to improve its peace situation, like solving the northern Uganda problem.
“It will be able to convince the members to give resources and if need be, peace keepers to help restore peace in the region. It means that poverty will be reduced if peace is maintained,†Nuwagaba says.
Kutesa stresses that according to the rules of procedure, the presidency of the Security Council is held on a monthly rotation among members.
“It rotates in alphabetical order of the member nations’ names in English. The role of the Security Council involves setting the agenda, presiding at its meetings and overseeing any crisis,†Kutesa says.
The Security Council is composed of five permanent members (China, France, Russia, the UK and the US) and 10 non–permanent members.
Each council member has one vote. Decisions on procedural matters are made by an affirmative vote of at least nine of the 15 members.
“Decisions on substantive matters require nine votes, including the concurring votes of all five permanent members. This is the rule of ‘great power unanimity’, often referred to as the ‘veto’ power,†Nuwagaba says.
Mulekwa adds that Uganda, as a member of the Security Council, increased the power it wields in international issues, at least for the next two years. Many countries will try to gain Uganda’s approval on important issues.
“On all other matters, such as imposing sanctions or authorising a peace enforcement mission, the permanent five have to ‘concur’ (meaning, in practice, not veto), but a majority of at least nine votes is also still required for a resolution to pass.
“Simple arithmetic tells us, then, that the non-permanent members’ votes do count, and in some cases (the question of action against Iraq in 2003, for example), have counted decisively. The big boys alone cannot decide an urgent security council matter,†Mulekwa says.
Nuwagaba cautions that despite the privileges, there is also a dark side to joining the Security Council.
“The Security Council is not a popular body. It takes unpopular decisions,†he says. Some powerful countries of the rearmament five take unpopular decisions by working outside the mandate of the Security Council. They also influence smaller states like Uganda to adopt their view. For example what happened when the US invaded Iraq without a Security Council resolution and countries like Uganda later supported the decision.â€
He says such countries risk being hated by others for taking the position of the permanent members, thus facing isolation.
Nuwagaba says being a member increases the patronage syndrome, where smaller states like Uganda can be put into the pockets of powerful countries, as their puppets.
“Given the beggar-master relationship, there is no doubt that Uganda will play a beggar role,†he adds.
Mulekwa says Uganda is the only country representing the 53 states of Africa, with diverse interests and the challenge will be building consensus to articulate one African position.
“If Uganda tries to play against other African countries by agreeing to the position of the super five without putting into mind the interests of the Africans, it risks far reaching consequences like hatred and conflict of interest. Uganda should represent the views of the Africans.â€
Nuwagaba, says Uganda’s position is well-deserved. “Uganda is an epicentre of both internal and external security. It has demonstrated its capacity to maintain peace in the country and act as a power broker among warring factions in the region.â€
He explains that Uganda was the first country to send peace-keeping troops to Somalia — a country that has had civil war since the overthrow of the Siad Barre regime in 1990.
“Uganda was able to broker peace among Burundians and the Executive has been consistent in supporting peace efforts despite the Parliament’s dissenting position. It also sent troops to Darfur and it is determined to fight terrorism,†Nuwagaba adds.
Mulekwa agrees, saying Uganda has also demonstrated to the international community that it has the capacity to deal with terrorism.
“It enacted the terrorism law and it was among the first countries to support the US against international terrorism. The embassies of America in Kenya and Tanzania were attacked, but Uganda had the capacity to monitor the activities of terrorists and that is why it is respected,†he says.
Nuwagaba adds that Uganda also hosted the 2007 Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting successfully, bringing in many world leaders. This was a sign of both security strength and a potential world economic power.