Africa: Group asserts its collective power at the UN

The 53-member African Group at the United Nations - the second largest regional coalition after the 54-member Asian Group - is asserting its collective unity in a world body that is getting increasingly divided over politically-sensitive issues. The Africans have so far refused to back down on their demand for veto powers for proposed new permanent members of the Security Council, and have also expressed their public support for an Asian as the next U.N. secretary-general when incumbent Kofi Annan of Ghana steps down in December this year.