United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has thrown his weight behind President William Ruto’s campaign for permanent African representation on the United Nations Security Council.
In remarks issued via his official X handle on Wednesday, September 23, Guterres said the Council’s current structure no longer reflected the realities of the 21st century.
He argued that Africa’s continued exclusion from permanent membership was unfair and called for reforms aimed at making the powerful UN body more representative, legitimate and effective in responding to global challenges.
"Africa still has no permanent seat on the Security Council. A 21st-century Security Council without permanent African representation is unjust & indefensible," Guterres stated.
The UN chief also called for broader changes to the Security Council, insisting that Africa must be granted permanent representation.
"We must reform the Council so that it reflects today’s world with the legitimacy and effectiveness that today’s challenges demand," he added.
Guterres’ remarks come as Ruto steps up his campaign for reforms to global institutions, particularly the UN Security Council.
The President has repeatedly pushed for Africa to receive at least two permanent seats on the Council, arguing that decisions affecting the continent should not be made without the participation of its representatives.
"You cannot claim to be the United Nations while disregarding the voice of 54 nations. It is not possible. Africa is no longer willing to wait on the margins of global governance. At the same time, decisions about peace, security, and development are made without our understanding, without our perspectives. Without our voice," Ruto stated during a past United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
"Africa demands at the very least two permanent seats with full rights, including the right to veto, and two additional non-permanent seats on the United Nations Security Council. The world must understand that reforming the Security Council is not a favor to Africa or to anybody. It is a necessity for the United Nations' own survival."
Ruto has also pointed to Africa’s significant role in matters handled by the Security Council, including the continent’s contribution to UN peacekeeping operations, arguing that its continued lack of permanent representation is unjust.
The UN Security Council has 15 members, five of whom are permanent members: China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States.
The other 10 members are elected by the UN General Assembly to serve two-year terms.
Although African countries periodically occupy some of the 10 elected seats, the continent does not have a permanent seat on the Council.
Guterres’ latest comments add further weight to calls by African countries for reforms that would give the continent a permanent role in decisions on international peace and security, with African states seeking representation carrying the same rights and privileges enjoyed by the existing permanent members.
