Africa's Push for UN Security Council Reform Remains Unresolved

Abuja, Nigeria – Africa’s campaign for permanent representation on the United Nations Security Council is a focal point at the 81st UN General Assembly, with leaders renewing calls for reform of a body whose five permanent members have remained unchanged since 1945. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in his address to the General Assembly on Tuesday, reiterated the need for Security Council reform to better reflect current geopolitical realities. Nigeria’s Vice President Kashim Shettima, representing President Bola Tinubu, advocated for at least two permanent seats for Africa, with veto powers, along with five non-permanent seats. Ghana’s President John Mahama echoed this sentiment, stating that Security Council reform is essential for the legitimacy and credibility of the United Nations. The calls for reform underscore Africa’s significant demands, but achieving an agreement to alter the Council’s structure poses challenges. The Security Council consists of 15 members: five permanent members—China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States—and 10 elected members serving two-year terms. The five permanent members hold veto power, enabling any one of them to block substantive resolutions. Despite Africa's centrality to many Council activities, the continent lacks permanent representation. In 2025, the Council adopted 44 resolutions, with 18 of those concerning Africa. Professor Ibrahim Gambari, a former Nigerian foreign minister, pointed out that the current system is resistant to change, as the appointment of the Secretary-General requires consensus among the five permanent members. He emphasized that Africa’s absence from the Council is unjustifiable given its size and involvement in Council matters. The intergovernmental negotiations on Security Council reform began in 2008, addressing issues such as the Council’s size, membership categories, regional representation, and veto powers, but have not reached consensus. Any change to the permanent membership would necessitate an amendment to the UN Charter, requiring approval from two-thirds of the General Assembly and ratification by two-thirds of UN members, including all five permanent members. The question of which African countries would occupy new permanent seats remains unresolved. Nigeria has consistently positioned itself as a candidate for such a role, renewing its call for at least two permanent African seats with full rights, including veto power. Dr. Fola Aina, a political scientist at SOAS, London, noted that securing this position would enhance Nigeria’s global diplomatic influence and give Africa a voice in international security decisions. Other countries, including Egypt and South Africa, are also pursuing permanent representation, while the African Union has not designated specific nations for the proposed seats. The AU's common position advocates for at least two permanent African seats and five non-permanent seats, with the AU determining the representatives. Even if consensus is reached on representation, the veto issue remains contentious. The Ezulwini Consensus of the African Union calls for any permanent African members to have the same rights as existing permanent members, including veto power. African governments argue that adding permanent seats without equivalent powers would not adequately address the existing imbalance. This raises two critical questions: whether the Council should expand and what powers new permanent members would receive. Gambari stated that Africa’s absence impacts the Council’s daily operations, as peacekeeping missions are based on Security Council mandates. He criticized the current system, where elected non-permanent African countries have limited ability to initiate resolutions affecting their region. Gambari also highlighted that Security Council missions in Africa are not led by Africans, which undermines confidence in their effectiveness. Favour Aniezi, a Nigerian youth advocate, emphasized the importance of Africa having a meaningful role in shaping decisions that affect the continent. She expressed the need for Africa to not only be represented but to have a voice that can influence discussions. The core questions regarding the number of new permanent members, which African countries would take the seats, whether they would receive veto power, and the acceptance of changes by existing permanent members remain unresolved. Gambari concluded that as long as the current outdated system persists, achieving reforms will be challenging.