UN Secretary-General António Guterres has urged for immediate reform of the Security Council, highlighting its antiquated structure and insufficient representation for Africa, which he believes diminishes the organization's credibility and global legitimacy. During his address to the Security Council on Monday, Guterres pointed out that the current composition mirrors the power dynamics established at the conclusion of World War II and has not adapted to the evolving global landscape. He stressed the importance of addressing this injustice and making necessary corrections.
He said, “In 1945, most of today’s African countries were still under colonial rule and had no voice in international affairs.
“We cannot accept that the world’s preeminent peace and security body lacks a permanent voice for a continent of well over a billion people…nor can we accept that Africa’s views are undervalued on questions of peace and security, both on the continent and around the world.
“ Ensuring this Council’s full credibility and legitimacy means heeding the longstanding calls from the UN General Assembly, various geographic groups…to correct this injustice,”.
Guterres addressed a high-level forum focused on rectifying historical injustices and improving Africa's representation within the UN Security Council, which was chaired by Sierra Leone, the Council President for August. The UN Security Council, consisting of 15 members, includes five permanent members with veto power: China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The other 10 non-permanent seats are allocated on a regional basis.
The allocation of seats is as follows: three for African nations; two each for the Asia-Pacific region, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Western Europe and Other states; and one for Eastern European nations. Nonetheless, there are ongoing demands for substantial reform, especially from regions that lack adequate representation. In the wake of Guterres’s comments, Dennis Francis, the President of the UN General Assembly, also spoke to the Security Council, emphasizing Africa's crucial contribution to global peace and security and reiterating the necessity for reform.
He referenced his recent visits, highlighting firsthand experiences in South Sudan, where he met with internally displaced persons (IDPs) and observed the essential operations of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) just a few weeks ago.
Francis also provided perspectives from his discussions in Haiti, where he addressed the deployment of the Kenyan-led Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) following the passage of Council Resolution 2699. He emphasized that these developments underscore Africa's important and expanding role in tackling global security issues.
As Assembly President, Francis noted that the UN General Assembly is proactively engaging with this matter through intergovernmental discussions and encouraged Member States to participate constructively in the pursuit of meaningful reform.
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