SOUTH AFRICA and China spoke up for the developing world at the United Nations general assembly on Monday, calling for mutual respect between nations.

South African President Jacob Zuma praised the assembly as the “most representative international institution.”

He said the body had supported “the disadvantaged, marginalised, occupied, colonised and oppressed peoples of the world,” most recently by allowing the Palestinian flag to be flown in front of its New York headquarters.

However, Mr Zuma called for reform of the UN security council, on which one billion Africans have no permanent representation.

“The UN cannot pretend that the world has not changed since 1945,” he said. “We are no longer colonies. We are free, independent, sovereign states.”

Mr Zuma hit out at the imperialist powers, charging that the Mediterranean refugee crisis was “the direct result of the militarisation of civilian unrest which included the massive arming of civilians and opposition groupings in Libya and Syria.”

While welcoming the agreement on Iran’s peaceful use of nuclear energy, he lamented the failure of nuclear powers to disarm, warning: “There can be no safe hands for nuclear weapons.”

Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged that his country’s vote at the UN would “always belong to the developing countries,” adding: “We firmly support greater representation and say of developing countries, especially African countries, in the international governance system.

“Major countries should follow the principles of no conflict, no confrontation, mutual respect and win-win co-operation in handling their relations,” he stressed.