Over the past decade, the A3—the three African members of the United Nations (UN) Security Council—have emerged as a cohesive and influential group, shaping dynamics and advancing African priorities on the Council.
On January 20, the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS) New York Office and Security Council Report (SCR) brought together representatives of the NGO community for a briefing and discussion on SCR’s latest report, From the Margins to the Center: The Rise of the A3 in the UN Security Council. Dawit Yirga, Deputy Managing Editor for Research at Security Council Report, and lead author of the report, presented key findings relating to the A3’s evolution, the group’s coordination mechanisms, its engagement with the African Union, and more. Key takeaways included:
- The need for greater capacity-building, as well as support from the #AfricanUnion and regional mechanisms, for A3 members, allowing them to maximize their effectiveness on the Council.
- The importance of the A3’s configuration and composition, which impacts internal dynamics and cohesion. While some Member States may use their Council terms to pursue national interests, others may enter with agendas more aligned to the AU’s.
- The need for more long-term and strategic planning to advance African priorities on the Council’s agenda, given that the A3 as elected members only serve two-year terms.
