Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane says President Jacob Zuma will among others address the UN reform agenda tomorrow.(SABC)
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South Africa's Chief Diplomat says they will be aggressively pursuing a reconfiguration of the UN system as the General Assembly debate beckons this week.
International Relations Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane has touted the UN reform agenda as among the main concerns President Jacob Zuma will tackle in his address to the world body tomorrow.
"How we wish by now we should be talking about how to implement these reforms because the more things change the more they remain the same here where it matters, at this very premier institution that is about global governance and peace maintenance," Nkoana-Mashabane said
President Zuma and First Lady Thobeka Zuma have arrived in New York to lead South Africa's delegation to the UN General Assembly's 67th session.
South Africa's argument this week is that for international treaties and resolutions to be respected globally, the organisation that imposes them must be seen to be in itself democratic in nature.
The Minister also pointing out that a high level meeting later today, tackling the question of the Rule of Law nationally and internationally, can only become legitimate as and when the organs of the UN become more equitable.
"We need these reforms more today than we did yesterday. All over the world communities, nations are becoming impatient with the slow pace of reforms and how they experience rule of law at national level should also be reflecting, how rule of law is respected at the international fora," she said.
Today is better than yesterday, in terms of the situation of strife between the Sudanese in both south Sudan and Sudan.
President Zuma will also participate this week in efforts to resolve the crises in Somalia, the Sahel including Mali and the Sudans.
Nkoane-Mashabane added: "We are beginning to see the fruits of that in Somalia, slowly but surely we think we are moving forward. Today is better than yesterday, in terms of the situation of strife between the Sudanese in both south Sudan and Sudan. We are hoping to be getting a progress report on the two leaders from South Sudan and Sudan are striving to find a conclusion to their deliberation to make sure that oil starts flowing again because it's in the interests of both countries, that they resolve all the outstanding issues."
South Africa will also support Palestinian moves to upgrade their current status as a UN Observer to that of non-member Observer State, after an attempt at full membership stalled in the Security Council.
