United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has reiterated calls for the reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), emphasizing that Africa’s exclusion from permanent membership is an enduring injustice. Speaking at the opening of the 38th African Union Summit in Ethiopia on Saturday, Guterres stressed that the continent must be granted its rightful representation.
Guterres pointed out that when the current global governance structures were established, Africa was still under colonial rule, rendering its exclusion from the UNSC an injustice rooted in history. He described this lack of representation as “inexcusable” in the 21st century and pledged to work with the African Union (AU) and UN member states to rectify the situation.
“I will keep working with the African Union and all Member States to ensure the representation Africa needs and the justice you deserve – including with two permanent members of the Security Council,” Guterres stated.
The UNSC, established in 1945, consists of 15 members, five of whom hold permanent seats with veto power: the United States, Russia, China, the United Kingdom, and France. The remaining ten are non-permanent members elected for two-year terms. Africa, despite comprising 54 of the UN’s 193 member states, has no permanent representation in the council, a situation that has been widely criticized as unfair.
Calls for UNSC reform have been longstanding, with African leaders consistently advocating for a more equitable system that reflects the modern geopolitical landscape. The African Union’s Ezulwini Consensus, adopted in 2005, demands at least two permanent seats for Africa, with full veto rights, along with five non-permanent seats.
Beyond the Security Council, Guterres also called for reforms in the global financial system, describing it as “outdated, dysfunctional, and unfair.” He argued that current financial structures do not serve Africa’s best interests, and change is necessary to support the continent’s economic development and resilience against crises such as climate change and debt distress.
“Correcting age-old injustices is essential to address here-and-now challenges. And the good news is that we have many of the solutions we need,” Guterres said.
The UN chief assured African leaders that the United Nations remains committed to working alongside the AU to promote security, stability, human rights, and the rule of law across the continent. His remarks come at a time when Africa continues to face multiple crises, including conflicts, economic hardship, and the effects of climate change, underscoring the urgent need for structural changes in global governance.
