US and S/L discuss Security Council priorities
By Mohamed Jaward Nyallay
US Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield has discussed UN Security Council priorities with President Julius Maada Bio. Amb. Greenfield revealed some of the details of the meeting with President Bio, at a press conference in Freetown.
Sierra Leone just took its seat at the Security Council few months back, a position which will see the country participate in huge decision making on the global stage.
“My primary purpose for this trip was to discuss security council work, to hear from the president what Sierra Leone’s priorities are, share with him our priorities and see how we might work together on our various priorities in the council,” the US diplomat said.
In terms of priorities, Sierra Leone has been one of the leading campaigners for a permanent UN Security Council seat. Sierra Leone currently chairs the “Committee of 10” (C-10) a committee of ten heads of states working on this issue. Greenfield said the US has always stated its support for reforms in the council, and that includes a permanent seat for Africa.
“We are committed to security council reforms and included in that commitment is Africa having a permanent seat at the Security Council. And over the course of the past years I have actively engaged with members including C-10 on several occasions about how we might move forward the agenda on security council reform,” she said.
Whiles adding that: “I understand that Sierra Leone during their Presidency will have security council reform as one of their signature event discussions, and I look forward to that discussion.”
As part of its work Sierra Leone will be expected to be heavily involved in dealing with security and humanitarian crises in places like Niger, Sudan and faraway Gaza. This week at the UN, the country’s Chief Minister, David Moinina Sengeh restated Sierra Leone’ support for an immediate cease fire in Gaza as the “minimum required”, a position that is at variance with the US position on the conflict.
