Liberia: UN Security Council E10 A3 Influence Grows with SG Meeting

• Liberia's UN Ambassador Lewis G. Brown II hosted a lunch for the Secretary-General and the Security Council's ten elected members (E10) to facilitate direct dialogue on substantive issues.
• Liberia holds a unique dual coordinating role for both the E10 and the A3 (African Three), placing it at the center of key Council matters.
• Ambassador Brown advocated for strengthening the Council's working methods on behalf of the E10 and presented Liberia's long-standing position on the Middle East.
• The A3, comprising the Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, and Somalia, focuses on African peace and security issues, favoring political solutions over external sanctions.
• These diplomatic efforts unfolded against a busy August Security Council agenda, which included mandated meetings on various global conflicts and signature events.

This dual responsibility has positioned Liberia at the heart of nearly every major file on the Council's agenda, significantly enhancing Ambassador Brown's standing to convene such high-level engagements.

Liberia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Lewis G. Brown II, recently hosted a significant lunch gathering, bringing together Secretary-General António Guterres and the ten elected members of the Security Council, collectively known as the E10. This event was not merely a social occasion but a deliberate exercise of Liberia's coordinating role, designed to foster direct dialogue between the Secretary-General and the E10 on critical substantive issues currently before the Council.

Since August 1, Liberia has uniquely held the coordinating position for both the E10 and the A3, a distinct group representing African nations within the Council. This dual responsibility has positioned Liberia at the heart of nearly every major file on the Council's agenda, significantly enhancing Ambassador Brown's standing to convene such high-level engagements. The lunch saw participation from representatives of Bahrain, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Denmark, Greece, Latvia, Liberia, Pakistan, Panama, and Somalia, all non-permanent members comprising the E10.

Leveraging its central coordinating role, Liberia has actively influenced key discussions within the UN Security Council. On August 17, Ambassador Brown addressed the Council's 10,207th meeting, articulating Liberia's stance on the Middle East. He expressed concern over the rapidly diminishing prospects for a two-state solution, citing ongoing violence, Palestinian displacement, and Israeli settlement expansion. Brown underscored Liberia's long-standing commitment to the issue by recalling its 1947 vote for General Assembly Resolution 181, the original partition proposal.

Just two days later, during an open debate on the Council's working methods on August 19, Ambassador Brown spoke on behalf of the entire E10. He advocated for strengthening the Council's governing framework, specifically Note S/2024/507, by implementing time-bound arrangements for the leadership of subsidiary bodies. This call stemmed from two consecutive years of delays in reaching agreement on sanctions committee chairs. Brown further argued that elected members, who constitute two-thirds of the Council, should be involved in the drafting and negotiation of resolutions from their inception, including through shared penholdership arrangements, which are currently concentrated among the five permanent members. This demonstrates Liberia UN Security Council E10 A3 influence in pushing for procedural reforms.

Beyond its E10 coordination, Liberia's role extends to the A3, a separate body within the Security Council comprising the Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, and Somalia. The A3 serves as a dedicated voice for Africa, focusing on specific files such as Libya, South Sudan, and the broader principle of African ownership over peace and security matters on the continent. This includes addressing the Democratic Republic of Congo's eastern conflict and supporting the African Union-led responses to instability in the Sahel and the Horn of Africa.

The collective posture of the A3 in recent years has consistently favored political solutions over externally imposed sanctions. This emphasis is expected to continue as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, and Somalia coordinate their positions through Liberia's leadership this month. The coordinating arrangement carries significant weight, allowing these nations to present a unified front on issues vital to the African continent and to project their shared diplomatic muscle.

Liberia's diplomatic engagements unfolded against a particularly demanding August agenda for the UN Security Council. Denmark, holding the Council presidency for the month, under Ambassador Christina Markus Lassen, maintained a focused yet full calendar of formal meetings. These included mandated sessions on critical global flashpoints such as South Sudan, Yemen, Libya, the Occupied Palestinian Territories, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Syria, and counterterrorism efforts.

In addition to these regular discussions, the Council hosted two signature events: an open debate on its working methods on August 19, and a high-level open debate on conflict and hunger, titled 'Food Under Fire,' scheduled for August 25. Council members also remained vigilant regarding other volatile situations, including the conflict in Ukraine, the standoff over the Strait of Hormuz, and the impending closure of the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon at the end of the year. Any of these could necessitate an unscheduled session with little advance notice, highlighting the dynamic environment in which Liberia's coordinating role proved especially crucial.

Source: Original reporting via FrontPageAfrica