Media Statement

01 January 2021

South Africa completes its two-year term as an elected member of the United Nations Security Council

Yesterday, 31 December 2020, marked the conclusion of South Africa’s two-year term as an elected member of the United Nations Security Council for the period 2019-2020. It was also the final day of South Africa’s Presidency of the Security Council for the month of December.

South Africa’s tenure in the Security Council was dedicated to the legacy of President Nelson Mandela whose values and commitment to peace were commemorated in 2018, the centenary of his birth and the year that the United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly elected South Africa to serve as an elected member of the Security Council.

Marking the end of South Africa’s term on the Security Council, the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Dr Naledi Pandor stated: “South Africa is proud to have served the interests of the international community in the global body dedicated to ensure international peace and security. Our term on the Security Council provided us with an opportunity to contribute to silencing the guns on the African Continent. We also used our term to promote the peaceful settlement of conflicts through preventive diplomacy, inclusive dialogue and post-conflict reconstruction and development. South Africa continued to advocate for strengthened partnership and closer cooperation between the UN Security Council and the African Union, and we consistently expressed our solidarity with the peoples of Palestine and Western Sahara in their quest to achieve self-determination, fundamental freedom, equality, justice and dignity. We further advanced the implementation of the Women, Peace and Security and the Youth, Peace and Security agendas”.

Minister Pandor concluded: “The world continues to face unprecedented challenges impacting on our peace, security and development. The COVID-19 pandemic has compounded these challenges and has necessitated us to work together as a collective, with all countries across the globe to combat the virus and ensure that we are able to rebuild a safer world where the development needs of all its people are fulfilled. Following the end of our term on the Security Council, South Africa will continue its commitment to multilateralism and work in other multilateral forums including the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission and other bodies of the United Nations to achieve these goals.

Enquiries: Mr Clayson Monyela, Spokesperson for DIRCO, 082 884 5974

ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND COOPERATION

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