Africa should have permanent seat at UN Security Council: Antonio Guterres

Africa should have permanent representation at the UN Security Council, says United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres. Antonio Guterres passed these remarks during his visit of West Africa. He concluded his visit in Nigerian capital Abuja.

African countries have long been demanding permanent representation at UN Security Council (UNSC). UNSC has 5 permanent and 10 non permanent members. The permanent members are USA, Russia, UK, France and China. None of the five countries is from Africa. Non permanent permanent members are elected for two years.

In February this year, African Union held a heads of state meeting in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa. Abiy Ahmad, the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, in his introductory speech demanded permanent representation for Africa at UN Security Council. He lamented that a continent of 1.3 billion people did not have a permanent seat at the UNSC. He proposed the establishment of continental African Media House as well. Read more..

In December last year, Senegalese President Macky Sall and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa denounced the “unfair” representation of Africa in the UN Security Council, regretting that no African country was a permanent member.

In January this year, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni opening a meeting in Ugandan capital Kampala attended by officials representing 10 African Union member states said, “The UN Security Council should have been and must be reformed. This is not a favour by anybody but a right of all peoples that inhabit the planet Earth.”

“We demand our right for permanent representation on the UN Security Council. Africans and billions of Asians cannot be kept out of the UN Security Council by five member states that monopolise it now.”, he said.

Antonio Guterres after completing his tour of west Africa backed Africa’s demand for permanent representation. He said that he supported reforms in UN but it was up to the member states to reform the organisation.