UN chief António Guterres has urged that Africa should have a permanent seat on the UN Security Council to address historical wrongs.
He pointed out that the Council’s structure, largely unchanged since World War Two, doesn’t reflect today’s world, where Africa’s voice is still underrepresented.
The Security Council currently has five permanent members—China, France, Russia, the UK, and the US—who can veto decisions, but Africa isn’t included.
Mr. Guterres highlighted that Africa, with over a billion people, contributes significantly to global peacekeeping yet remains underrepresented in the decision-making process.
The African Union has been advocating for two permanent seats and additional non-permanent ones for the continent.
The debate, led by Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio, emphasized that it’s time for Africa’s demands for justice and equity to be met.
The UN Security Council has major roles, like authorizing peacekeeping missions and responding to global conflicts, but lacks a permanent African voice.
Guterres, along with other UN officials, stressed that better representation for Africa is not just about fairness but also crucial for gaining broader acceptance of the Council’s decisions globally, which would benefit Africa and the world.
BBC provided this information in its coverage.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c2kj5yvwd74o