UN Security Council urges for a permanent seat to be granted to Africa | United Nations News

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to assign Africa a permanent seat, pointing out that the continent is currently underrepresented. During a high-level debate, Guterres emphasized that the UNSC’s structure has not kept pace with a changing world. The council currently consists of five permanent members with veto power and 10 nonpermanent seats allocated regionally.
UN General Assembly President Dennis Francis also highlighted the need for the UN to reflect the current world situation, stating that Africa’s underrepresentation on the Security Council goes against principles of equity and inclusion. Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio demanded two permanent seats for Africa on the UNSC, along with two additional nonpermanent seats.
Carlos Lopes, a professor and former AU high representative, noted that while African attempts for better representation are not new, the current geopolitical climate presents a favorable moment for change. He highlighted Africa’s growing importance in global politics and the competition for Africa’s votes, which has made African blocs more challenging to align with. Lopes sees the push for African representation in the UNSC as part of a broader effort to increase Africa’s influence in international decision-making bodies.

Source
Photo credit www.aljazeera.com