United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has voiced strong support for Sierra Leone’s call to grant Africa a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). Addressing the Council, President Dr. Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone advocated for Africa to receive two permanent seats along with two additional non-permanent seats, citing the continent’s underrepresentation in the current global governance structure.
In his speech, Secretary-General Guterres highlighted the need to reform the UNSC’s outdated composition. He argued that it is unacceptable for a continent with over a billion people to lack a permanent voice in the world’s foremost body dedicated to peace and security. Guterres emphasized that Africa’s perspectives on global peace and security issues are often undervalued.
The UNSC is comprised of 15 members: five permanent members with veto power—China, France, Russia, the United States, and the United Kingdom—and ten non-permanent members elected regionally. Currently, African nations hold three of these non-permanent seats.
In a recent high-level debate, UN General Assembly President Dennis Francis asserted that the Security Council’s structure must reflect contemporary realities. He criticized the continued underrepresentation of Africa as a breach of principles of equity and inclusion and stressed the need for urgent reform to align the UNSC with today’s global context. Francis also noted that if the veto power is to be maintained, it should be extended to all new permanent members to ensure fairness.
Carlos Lopes, a professor at the University of Cape Town and former high representative for the African Union, supported the push for increased African representation on the UNSC. He pointed out that African nations have effectively managed geopolitical challenges and highlighted the recent inclusion of the African Union in the G20 as an example of Africa’s growing influence on the global stage.
