UN chief calls for Africa to become permanent member of UN Security Council –

Addis Ababa, August 13, 2024 (AFP) UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called on the UN Security Council to reform its outdated structure and give Africa permanent seats.

The UN Secretary-General said in a speech to the UN Security Council on Monday that the current composition of the Council has failed to keep pace with a rapidly changing world.

The Secretary-General noted on Monday in New York at a Security Council debate on “Maintaining peace and security: addressing historical injustices and strengthening effective representation of Africa on the United Nations Security Council” that the Council is the cornerstone of global peace and security.

However, he said there were huge cracks in the foundations of the Security Council that could not be ignored. The Council was designed by the victors of World War II while most African countries today languish under colonial rule and have no voice.

“This created a glaring omission that remains unaddressed to this day: there is no permanent representation of Africa on the Security Council and the number of elected members from the continent is disproportionate to its importance,” he said.

He added: “We cannot accept that the world’s most important peace and security body does not have a permanent voice representing the African continent of more than a billion people… We also cannot accept that voices are underestimated on issues of peace and security in the African continent and around the world.”

Guterres noted that despite the challenges facing the continent, including conflict, emergencies, climate change and debt burdens, Africa is underrepresented in the global governance system, including the Security Council and international financial institutions.

The UN Secretary-General stressed: “The message is clear: there can be no global security without African security.”

According to a UN press release, the Secretary-General called on all Member States to support the establishment of a global peace and security architecture that equally represents all countries.