United Nations Security Council

For many years, calls to include one of the 54 African states in the United Nations Security Council have been made. Last week, Zimbabwe president Robert Mugabe lamented the lack of transformation of the United Nations Security Council. Mugabe who is also the African Union and SADEC chair was speaking after private talks with President Jacob Zuma during his visit to South Africa. He says while the continent continues to propose changes to the veto system, there is still resistance from some of the permanent members. To help us analyse the situation, and the importance of the Security Council at the UN we have • Dr Jakkie Cilliers, the Executive Director of the Institute for Security Studies, • Mr Oshupeng Maseng, a lecturer at the University of the North West, in South Africa, and .Candice Moore, Senior researcher at The African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD) a South Africa-based civil society organisation :