The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Mme Maite Nkoana-Mashabane has today, 11 October 2010, arrived in New York on the occasion of the United Nations General Assembly's election of five non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council for 2011 to 2012 tenure.
South Africa is among the five candidates and has been endorsed by the African Union during the 14th ordinary session in January 2010 as the candidate for the African seat that would be vacated by Uganda.
Countries vying for the other four seats of the UNSC non-permanent membership are India for the Asian seat; Colombia for the Latin America seat and for the two seats are contested by three countries (Canada, Germany and Portugal) in the category of Western Europe and others group.
The minister's visit to the United Nations headquarters seeks to demonstrate South Africa's commitment to the role of the United Nations Security Council in the maintenance of international peace and security.
If elected to the UNSC, South Africa will be guided by its commitment to multilateralism, advancement of the African agenda and the peaceful resolution of conflicts.
In 2006 South Africa was elected for the first time as a non-permanent member of the Security Council for the period 2007 to 2008.
Minister Nkoana-Mashabane is expected to return to South Africa on Wednesday, 13 October 2010.
For more information please contact:
Kgomotso Saul Molobi
Cell: 082 940 1647
E-mail: molobisk@dirco.gov.za
Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane arrives in New York on the occasion of the United Nations General Assembly's (UNGAs) election of the five non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC)
