Speaking in the United Nations Security Council, Ambassador Jerry Matjila asserts that the situation in Venezuela does not constitute a threat to international peace and security.

The 15-member  United Nations Security Council is meeting on Venezuela at the request of the United States.

It wants the UN powerhouse to vote this week on its draft proposal calling for elections in Venezuela and compelling the regime of Nicholas Maduro to allow the delivery of humanitarian aid.

Russia is at loggerheads with the US which it accuses of preparing for military intervention in Venezuela.

As a non permanent member of the council, South Africa’s position is that the council should net even be considering the Venezuela situation because it does not pose a threat to world peace.

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Its representative Jerry Matjila calls on both Russia and Ukraine to adhere to the conditions of the 2015 Minsk Agreements designed to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in the region following Russia’s annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea Peninsula

Pointedly South Africa hasn’t joined the statement  by the five current European Union members on the UN Security Council accusing Russia of continuing to fuel the conflict in Ukraine

Neither has it supported the  Russian line that Ukraine is being used by the West in a geopolitical chess game.

Ambassador Jerry Matjila urged the parties to refrain from actions that could be viewed as provocative, and which may further impede a peaceful resolution to the situation, in line with the Minsk agreements.

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It see a clear link between these companies and the recruitment of mercenaries destabilising African countries.

South Africa’s ambassador to the United Nations Jerry Matjila says South Africa’s legislated against the recruitment of mercenaries.

Speaking at the UN Security Council debate on the damaging impact of mercenaries in Africa, Matjila calls for ratification  of the 1989 international convention against the recruitment, financing, training and deployment of mercenaries.

He also calls for implementation of  the 1977 African Union resolution on the elimination of mercenaries.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres told the meeting mercenaries remain active in a number of African conflicts, threatening regional peace and security.

It requires bilateral cooperation and security sharing to combat this evil.

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He was speaking as he went into a closed session of the United Nations Security Council on the poll designed to give the Congo its first democratic change of president in history.

France’s Ambassador to the UN, Francois Delattre, says the fact that the world organisation’s power house is meeting on the subject means it’s keeping a close watch on vote counting in the DRC.

The 15-nation UN Security Council, that now includes South Africa, issued no statement after last night’s meeting.

It will go into public session on the DRC on Tuesday. 

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Diplomats says the two-thirds majority required to qualify for the rotating seat is assured, the interesting point is how South Africa will fare in what is a diplomatic popularity contest.

Ambassador to the United Nations Jerry Matjila says South Africans can pop the champagne to celebrate another term on the world body’s powerhouse .

The question is how many more votes will garner that the 128 required.

“For 2007 we got 186, which was huge, and for 2011 it was 182 which was slightly less. Will we get fewer or more this time?” Matjila ask

Many are wondering how the US will vote with South Africa listed among those countries most likely to vote against President Donald Trump’s initiatives.

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