Position Paper 2

Country: South Africa
Committee: United Nations Security Council

Agenda: Ethical Leadership and Promoting Ethical Leadership
"Ethical Leadership is the Bedrock for Global Governance," as it plays a crucial
role in world governance which brings out the differentiation between a well-
civilized and uncivilized world, as well as an equitable and inequitable one. South
Africa's journey towards ethical leadership has been intricate and multifarious yet
proliferate since post-apartheid, as it has made noteworthy advancements in
establishing an ethical governance framework with crucial components of Human
Rights, Social Justice, Integrity, Respect, and most significantly, Transparency.
South Africa's standing upright on its ideals of governance laid various laws and
acts for its promotion.
* Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC): It promoted forgiveness, truth-
telling, and reconciliation as a healing step towards a better future.
* Constitutional Bill of Rights: The Constitution guarantees fundamental rights
and freedoms, including the right to equality, dignity, and a healthy environment.
* Prevention of Corruption Act: This act prohibits corruption and related offenses
such as bribery, extortion, and
Laundering
4) Disclosures of Interest Act: This act requires public officials to declare their
financial interests, including shares, properties, and other assets, which helps to
prevent conflicts of interest and ensure transparency.
5) Public Service Act: This act sets out the values and principles that guide the
conduct of public servants, including honesty, integrity, and accountability.
South Africa, with an unwavering spirit, is unstoppable in making progress for the
world's people, which can be potentially proved by its Global Governance
Initiatives for a better, peaceful, united world. For instance, being a significant
player in the UNSC, South Africa actively participates and contributes to peace and
security.
Key initiatives:
* BRICS Membership: As a member of the BRICS group (countries), South Africa has
been a key contributor in promoting economic cooperation and development among
emerging economies.
* South African Union Leadership: South Africa has been a leading member of the
African Union (AU), actively participating in its decision-making processes.
* Security Council Membership and Reform of the UNSC: South Africa has been
advocating for the reform of the UNSC to ensure better representation of
developing.It has been a non-permanent member of the UNSC for 4 years now. It has
been a strong advocate for the reform of the UNSC, recently calling for its
expansion to include African countries that are not only part of South Africa's
outlook but also of the President of the UNSC, Antonio Guterres.
He stated, "We can't accept a world where a continent with over a billion people
doesn't have a permanent voice for peace, security, and human rights."
- Antonio Guterres, Security Council meeting on 12th August,2024.
The membership of the Security Council and its work are often questioned. There is
a clear consensus that the Security Council needs reform to ensure its
effectiveness and legitimacy.
Though South Africa has made significant contributions to global governance, it has
also faced some challenges in ensuring equitable and transparent leadership. There
are some challenges standing in the way, like:
* Multilateralism vs. Bilateralism: The effectiveness of multilateral institutions
is being questioned, leading to a resurgence of bilateralism and regional
alliances.
* Geopolitical Rivalries: The world's major nations often have conflicting
national interests.
* Gender Equality and Gender Parity: There is low representation of women in
government positions and less salary for the same position compared to men.
* Non-State Actors: The rise of non-state actors such as terrorist groups.
* Lack of Inclusivity: The UNSC's current composition is outdated and doesn't
reflect current global power dynamics or interests of developing countries.
South Africa would like to suggest some of the initiatives to be taken to subdue
the listed hurdles in order to foster ethical leadership and global governance:
* Mediation and Arbitration: An impartial third party can help resolve disputes
peacefully.
* Quotas and Affirmative Action: Increasing the number of women representatives
can help to combat gender inequality through affirmative action measures.
3. Updation of Multilateral Institutions: International institutions such as the
United Nations, World Trade Organization, and World Bank should adapt to changing
global realities to regain their effectiveness and power back.
4. Awareness and Education: To help people better understand the importance of
'peace and cooperation is the sole importance of the hour' to efficiently reduce
the rise of non-state actors which an educated person will tend to understand
better than a literate one.
5. Disarmament and Treaty of Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons: The treaty
entered into force in 1970 should be reinforced, ensuring efficiency without any
Central Bargain with nations to promote peace and cooperation in the world and if
not get ready to step out of the verge of WORLD WAR 3!
Summing up everything that has been stated so far, the delegation highlights the
need to actively bring about the required reforms to establish a peaceful world and
cooperative world.

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Country: South Africa

Committee: United Nations Security Council

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