South Africa’s Second Term at the UN Security Council: Managing Expectations

The report examines South Africa's 2011–2012 tenure on the UN Security Council, highlighting the tension between its aspirations for permanent membership and the rigidities of the Ezulwini Consensus. It analyzes global power shifts, specifically the decline of US omnipotence and the rise of China, and identifies key thematic priorities for South Africa, including the UN-AU relationship on peacebuilding, the 'peace versus justice' debate regarding the ICC and Article 16, holistic counter-terrorism strategies, and nuclear non-proliferation. The document argues that South Africa must balance its identity as a global actor with its leadership role in Africa to effectively influence an anachronistic Council.

• The UN Security Council is described as an anachronistic body whose composition reflects a post-World War 2 era of power, leading to a decline in its authority and legitimacy. The permanent five (P5) members are viewed as effectively unaccountable, often striking agreements through secretive diplomacy before presenting them to non-permanent members.
• Global power is shifting away from Western dominance toward a more heterogeneous system, evidenced by the G20 representing roughly 88 per cent of global GDP by 2010, compared to the G7's drop to about 50 per cent.
• UN Security Council reform is hindered not only by the P5 but also by regional politics. The Ezulwini Consensus, which demands at least two permanent seats (including veto power) and five non-permanent seats for Africa, is viewed as an instrument that may actually frustrate reform due to its rigidity.
• There is a significant tension between the African Union (AU) and the UN Security Council regarding the International Criminal Court (ICC), specifically Article 16, which allows the Council to defer investigations. South Africa and the AU have pushed for the UN General Assembly to be able to act if the Security Council fails to decide on a deferral request within six months.
• South Africa advocates for a holistic approach to counter-terrorism based on the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, which emphasizes addressing root causes like poverty and lack of good governance rather than focusing solely on security and military responses.
• In the realm of nuclear non-proliferation, South Africa emphasizes that nuclear disarmament must accompany non-proliferation efforts. It identifies the 2012 Conference on a Middle East zone free of nuclear weapons and WMDs as a critical upcoming milestone.
• South Africa is a continental leader in conventional arms control, participating in the Wassenaar Arrangement and the UN Register of Conventional Arms. However, it notes that many African states lack depth in their engagement with the proposed Arms Trade Treaty (ATT).
• Despite the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 1325, women remain severely underrepresented in peace processes and UN leadership. South Africa is noted for its advocacy but is criticized for not yet having a national action plan to implement the resolution.
• The relationship between the UN Security Council and the AU Peace and Security Council (PSC) is characterized by a desire for better coordination, though the AU seeks recognition as the authoritative body on African peace and security issues.

APA

Cilliers, J., Ikome, F., du Plessis, A., Stott, N., Lamb, G., & Hendriks, C. (2010). South Africa’s Second Term at the UN Security Council: Managing Expectations. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/8Dec_2010_2.pdf

Chicago

Cilliers, Jakkie, Francis Ikome, Anton du Plessis, Noel Stott, Guy Lamb, and Cheryl Hendriks. South Africa’s Second Term at the UN Security Council: Managing Expectations. Institute for Security Studies, 2010. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/8Dec_2010_2.pdf.

Wikipedia

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BibTeX

@techreport{cilliers2010south, author = {Cilliers, Jakkie and Ikome, Francis and du Plessis, Anton and Stott, Noel and Lamb, Guy and Hendriks, Cheryl}, title = {{South Africa’s Second Term at the UN Security Council: Managing Expectations}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2010}, month = dec, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/8Dec_2010_2.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }