Absence of South Africa in the Assembly draws attention

David Bonace Lopes Fernandes and Francisco Luís Alves Moraes (translated by Isadora Moraes Maffei)

South Africa's flag

As the second-largest economy on the continent, South Africa is one of Africa's major powers. Nevertheless, the country was not invited to the 2023 General Assembly, which theme is "The role of mediation in preventing conflicts in Africa". However, upon analyzing the history of the territory, it becomes clear that its participation in this simulation would be crucial in resolving African conflicts in a more peaceful and diplomatic manner. The reason being, South Africa advocates for pacification of other African countries and supports regimes that promote security and integrity in conflict-prone regions.

The Second-largest economy in the continent, South Africa was not invited to the 2023 General Assembly

One of Africa's most significant ethnic conflicts occurred precisely in South Africa and it is known as "Apartheid," which means "segregation on grounds other than race" in Afrikaans. It was a regime of institutionalized racial segregation that persisted from 1948 to 1994, a period during which theories related to Social Darwinism were highly relevant. It ended with the election of the country's former president, Nelson Mandela, and constituted a relatively peaceful and organized resolution. For these reasons, the absence of the country from the 2023 UN Assembly is questionable. The fact that it was overlooked, despite its importance to this debate, is unacceptable and contradictory.

Having said that, it is important to reinforce that amidst all the organization and complexity, the basic and essential aspect was forgotten: the country that fought for years against perhaps the greatest conflict Africa has ever faced is absent from the General Assembly, and its contributions to peace have been silenced.

The peaceful struggle of the black population against the Apartheid regime represents an important peace ideal for the Assembly's discussion.