Video: Press Conference by H.E. Baso Sangqu
on South Africa's Presidency of the Security Council
31 January 2012
H.E. Ambassador Baso Sangqu, Permanent Representative of South Africa to the United Nations and President of the Security Council for the month of January briefed the press at the end of the Presidency of South Africa in the Council.
Video: South Africa, H.E. Mr. Baso Sangqu
United Nations Security Council Meeting on Syria
31 January 2012
Statement by His Excellency Mr. Baso Sangqu, Permanent Representative of South Africa, during the 6710th meeting of the Security Council on the situation in the Middle East (Syria). Letter dated 24 January 2012 from the Secretary-General addressed to the President of the Security Council (S/2012/71 ) More
Ambassador Baso Sangqu welcomes U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to the Security Council Debate on Syria at the last day of South Africa's Presidency. 31 January 2012 More
South Africa was one of the 51 founding member of the United Nations in 1945. Since its inception in 1945, UN membership has grown to 192 States. The United Nations General Assembly on 12 November 1974 suspended South Africa from participating in its work, due to international opposition to the policy of apartheid. South Africa was re-admitted to the UN in 1994 following its transition into a democracy. Since 1994 the democratically elected government has pursued a foreign policy based on the centrality of the UN in the multilateral system.
Twelve years after re-admittance to the UN, South Africa was honoured to be endorsed by the African Union (AU) and subsequently elected with an overwhelming majority to serve as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during the period 2007-2008. During its tenure as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), South Africa promoted the African Agenda namely peace, security and development. South Africa is honoured to once again serve as a non-permanent member for the period 2011-2012.
The United Nations plays an indispensable, role in addressing contemporary and future global challenges. In this regard, the primary role of the United Nations is to maintain international peace and security, promote economic development as well as to promote and protect human rights.
South Africa is faithful to the Purposes and Principles of the United Nations Charter. It strongly advocates rules-based multilateralism. In pursuance of this objective, South Africa is an active participant in the main deliberative and subsidiary bodies of the United Nations, i.e. the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council and the Security Council, Peace Building Commission (PBC) as well as the Human Rights Council.
South Africa is committed to promoting and achieving its vision of an African Continent, which is prosperous, peaceful, democratic, non-racial, non-sexist and united, and which contributes to a world that is just and equitable through effective multilateralism at the sub-regional (SADC), regional (AU) and global level (UN).
South Africa welcomes election of Dr. Dire Tladi to the International Law Commission
International Relations and Cooperation Minister Maite Nkoana–Mashabane extended South Africa’s heartfelt congratulations on Friday, 18 November 2011 to the Permanent Mission of South Africa to the United Nations on the work it undertook to support Dr. Dire Tladi’s successful candidature to the International Law Commission.
The election, which took place at the UN General Assembly in New York on Thursday, 17 November 2011, saw South Africa receive 150 votes out of the 193 member states of the UN.
Dr. Tladi joins other illustrious South Africans in the legal fraternity who serve in their personal capacities in UN agencies and other multilateral bodies.
Dr. Tladi, a legal adviser attached to the Permanent Mission of South Africa to the UN and an official of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, has represented South Africa in a variety of areas of international law, including human rights and humanitarian law, environmental law, international criminal law, diplomatic law, as well as boundary negotiations.
An accomplished academic whose experience has transcended three continents, (South Africa, United States and the Netherlands), Dr. Tladi continues to maintain his connection with academia by serving as Extraordinary Professor in the Department of Public Law at the University of Stellenbosch and is also an Honorary Professor at the University of Pretoria.
Dr. Tladi begins his five-year term in the International Law Commission on 1 January 2012.
For more information, contact:
Clayson Monyela, spokesperson for DIRCO
Cell: 082 884 5974
Issued by: Department of International Relations and Cooperation
18 Nov 2011
Celebrating South Africa's Progressive Role at the United Nations
