1 I- INTRODUCTION This report is being submitted to facilitate the meeting of the Committee of Ten (10) Heads of State and Government which will be held on the margins of the 11th Ordinary session of the Assembly of the African Union Heads of State in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt from 30th June to 1st July 2008. It is intended as an input into the Report that the Committee will present to the Summit in accordance with item XI.8 of the Agenda. II- BACKGROUND 1. At its Fifth Ordinary Session held in Sirte in July 2005, the Assembly of the African Union adopted the Common African Position on the proposed reform of the United Nations, known as “the Ezulwini Consensus”, to guide the Continent’s participation in the reform of the United Nations, as enunciated in the Report of the Secretary General’s High-Level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change. Regarding Security Council reform in particular, the Consensus states: Recalling that, in 1945, when the UN was being formed, most of Africa was not represented and that in 1963, when the first reform took place, Africa was represented but was not in a particularly strong position; Convinced that Africa is now in a position to influence the proposed UN reform by maintaining her unity of purpose; Conscious of the fact that the Harare Declaration has made significant impact on the world community and has thus been fairly reflected in the proposed UN Security Council Reform adopted the following position: 1. Africa’s goal is to be fully represented in all the decision-making organs of the UN, particularly in the Security Council, which is the principal decision-making organ of the UN in matters relating to international peace and security. 2. Full representation of Africa in the Security Council means: 3. i. not less than two permanent seats with all the prerogatives and privileges of permanent membership including the right of veto; ii. five non-permanent seats. In that regard, even though Africa is opposed in principle to the veto, it is of the view that so long as it exists, and as a matter of common justice, it should be made available to all permanent members of the Security Council.