MUGABE ON U.N. BIAS

The United Nations is routinely touted as a robust, impartial and balanced international body. But, the truth is the body is at the mercy of the whims and wishes of the five countries that are permanent members of its Security Council (UNSC): China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States. These countries have the power to veto decisions taken by the other 188 member states.

Pleas to reform the UNSC have repeatedly been ignored. Almost eight decades after it was formed, mostly World War II victors and their vassals sit on the UNSC, which does not reflect global demographics. For instance, how does one justify that France—with a population of less than 70 million—has permanent representation, while the entire African continent—with over 1.2 billion people—does not?

Robert Mugabe, former Zimbabwean prime minister (1980-87) and, later, president (1987-2017), never shied away from calling out Western hypocrisy. In this clip from the 26th African Union Summit, held in 2016 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Mugabe said the UN—as it exists—is a mainly ceremonial organisation. His comments were directed at then-UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who had attended.

Let us know if you agree with Mugabe.