It is crystal clear that Africa faces a seemingly ever increasing range of security challenges. And this is why the Young African Leaders Forum (YALF) – a youth-led pan-African movement, whose utmost objective is to effectuate sustainable development in every African nation, has risen to the responsibility of finding a solution to the continent’s crises. As a Forum, YALF believes that for Africa to develop significantly, Africans are to be involved in critical decision-making processes that affect their continent.

With this in mind, YALF is lobbying for an African seat at the helm of the UN Security Council. The UN Charter established six main organs of the United Nations, including the Security Council. The Charter gives the primary responsibility of maintaining international peace and security to the Security Council, which may meet whenever peace is threatened. Over time, Africa’s peace has been threatened by the insurgencies and all kinds of terrorist activities. Yet, the continent has not been considered as qualified to occupy a seat amongst the permanent members of the UNSC. YALF strongly condemns this.

The major objective of YALF is to stand in support of this great campaign to ensure that Africans are represented at the pivotal level of decision making within the UNSC – since 70% of the UNSC agenda are African-related issues. The continent shouldn’t be excluded from making pertinent and fundamental decisions that affect it. YALF believes that involving Africans at the apex of their affairs will help improve the security of African states and its citizens, as well as create an increase access of security measures from the UN by African states, moreover set forth principles for an agreement.

The UN Charter clearly states that its purpose is to recommend method of adjusting disputes or the term of settlement and to determine the existence of a threat to the peace and recommend what action should be taken.YALF believes this is a dispute to have no Africa member at the permanent level; yet day in day out, the security and peace of approximately 1.1 billion people are been threatened. As African youths, we are standing in the gap for the continent and requesting this pertinent issue to be resolved at the UNSC – if at all significant development in Africa is something to go by.

To realize the AU agenda2063, YALF pledged its unwavering support to the AU Committee of Ten Heads of States on the UN Reform in the campaign they dubbed #Africa@UNSecurityCouncil. The youth-led development-focused movement strongly affirms that Africa is part of the international community and its diverse range of problems – especially in peacekeeping – deserves to have a permanent seat at the UNSC.

By launching this great campaign, #Africa@UNSecurityCouncil, YALF is appealing for the support of the international community including governmental, religious, nongovernmental, private and corporate organizations in realizing this movement and sharing the ideology world over.

At heart with the AU Committee of Ten Heads of State, YALF pledges to stand firm in its quest to see Africa represented at the helm of the UNSC because as a body of African youth leaders, it vehemently believe that Africa has its unique strengths which cannot be ignored.

In one accord, YALF therefore launches its #Africa4UNSecurityCouncil campaign in all parts of the world where it has representatives, friends and partners.

Source: www.yalf-africa.org/index.php/campaign
www.talkingupdate.com/news/us/search/%2523Africa4UNSecurityCouncil