By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says Africa should have a permanent seat on the UN Security Council (UNSC).
Guterres was speaking at the African Union (AU) Summit in Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa.
The Security Council – the five permanent members of which are China, France, Russia, the UK and the US – has long been criticised for representing the realities that prevailed at the end of World War Two when much of Africa was still under colonial rule.
The 10 non-permanent members of the body are allocated by region, but unlike the five permanent members, they do not have the power of veto.
Guterres emphasized that whenever decisions are made about Africa and the world, the continent must be present at the decision-making table.
The UN chief added that, with determination, creativity, and resilience, Africa is navigating some of the world’s most severe challenges, addressing its issues within an international environment that is polarized, unpredictable, and unstable.
Guterres underscored that United Nations stands alongside Africa in advancing “peace, sustainable development, and climate justice,” and will continue to support the continent in achieving these goals.
Africa, comprising 54 countries and nearly one-third of UN member states, currently has no permanent representation on the Council.
The demand for reform is anchored in the Ezulwini Consensus, adopted by the African Union in 2005.
The consensus calls for at least two permanent African seats with full veto powers, in addition to five non-permanent seats.
The African Union has long been pushing for the continent to have two permanent representatives on the council and an additional two seats as non-permanent representatives.
The UN Security Council has significant responsibilities, including authorising peacekeeping operations, imposing international sanctions and determining how the UN should respond to conflicts around the world.
The UN was set up after the end of World War Two to spare succeeding generations from the scourge of armed conflict.
Only four African nations – Egypt, Liberia, Ethiopia, and South Africa – were amongst the founding members. Guterres pledged Africa would remain the UN’s “priority number one” until the end of his mandate.