Zuma pleased with UN meeting outcomes

Speaking upon arrival back in South Africa on Thursday, Zuma said he found the meeting to have been a great success in terms of highlighting the post-2015 development approach.

The theme of UNGA68 was 'The Post-2015 Development Agenda: Setting the Stage'.

"We were able to raise issues that are of concern to the developing world, especially Africa. In particular, we raised the need for the post-2015 development agenda to focus on socio-economic development.

"Also important is to ensure that the developed world does not renege on its undertakings to the South, to contribute 0.7% of their gross national income to Overseas Development Assistance and also to remove all possible non-tariff barriers to development, including new ones such as the green economy or technology," President Zuma said.

He also emphasised the link between development and security.

"It is for this reason that we raised sharply the need to democratise the United Nations Security Council so that the world does not continue to be beholden to the interests of a few countries.

"As Africa, a continent of one billion people, we have to ensure that this matter of reform sits at the top of the agenda of the UN as it heads towards its 70th anniversary," Zuma said.

He said it was encouraging that other developing countries had also expressed the importance of the reform of the UN Security Council.

President Zuma was accompanied by the Ministers of International Relations and Cooperation, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, Defence and Military Veterans, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula and Social Development Bathabile Dlamini.