The international body that addresses peace and security currently has no permanent seats for the often underrepresented and historically marginalized continent.
The following article was published in the January - February 2025 issue of NewsNotes.
On September 13, 2024, the United States declared to the UN General Assembly its support of the creation of two permanent seats for Africa, and one for small-island states, on the UN Security Council.
African nations have been advocating for greater representation at the United Nations since the African Union meeting in Sirte, Libya, in 2005, when they adopted the Ezulwini Consensus, which stated Africa’s desire for “full representation in all decision-making organs of the United Nations, particularly in the Security Council.” Sithembile Mbete of the University of Pretoria in South Africa has summarized three reasons why increased representation is called for: first, to repair the historical injustice of African underrepresentation in global governance; second, to recognize African contributions in shaping the contemporary world order; and third, to secure the legitimacy of the UN in the face of emerging threats to peace and security.
Reform of the Security Council is long overdue. Created in 1945, it was originally made up of five major powers, United States, Russia, China, Great Britain and France, with permanent membership and the power to veto. Six other seats would go to non-permanent member countries, elected from among themselves for two year terms. In 1965, the number of elected seats grew to ten. A common African position is that the continent should have two permanent members with veto power, and five other non-permanent members. The United States does not currently support giving veto power to new permanent African Security Council seats.
The UN recognizes 54 countries in Africa, which is 28 percent of the total number of countries (194) with UN membership. Africans currently make up 17 percent of the world’s population. That number is projected to grow to 25 percent by 2045, the UN 100th birthday. In a mere five years, Africa is projected to be home to 75 percent of the world population younger than 35. Africa’s youthful demographic will be the world’s work force and consumer base, fueling the world’s economy. The African continent contains some the world’s most crucial minerals needed for the transition to a greener economy—cobalt, coltan, lithium, nickel, and copper. In the past 30 years, African security issues have taken up about half of the Security Council’s deliberations and produced nearly three quarters of its resolutions.
Historical injustices are among the reasons for current unsustainable debt levels that burden most African nations. The slave trade, depopulation, extraction of natural resources, exploitation of the Indigenous work force, nearly a century of colonial rule, and neo-colonial control of African economies through trade relations and finance are just a few such historical injustices that affect the continent today.
One need not look into the past to find systemic injustices against the African people. It is estimated that the continent loses $203 billion a year due to illicit financial flows, profits by multinational corporations, and ecological damage. Despite all these issues, Africans have no permanent seat at the governing body that does the most to maintain international peace and security.
Anthoni van Nieuwkerk of the University of South Africa, while agreeing that African needs greater representation, suggests that it will not be easy for the continent to agree on which two countries should represent it on the Security Council. The two economic giants, Nigeria and South Africa, may not necessarily be the most representative. Furthermore, there are deserving countries without representation from other parts of the world too, including Asia and Latin America.
Essential criteria for permanent representation on the Council includes diplomatic expertise and sophistication; experience in peacekeeping; and the ability to finance peacekeeping missions. Once chosen, these countries would have to commit significant human and financial resources to the Security Council’s peacekeeping and diplomatic efforts. Van Nieuwkerk warns that African nations would have to straddle a difficult line to not be coopted into rivalries between large and growing powers such as the United States, China, and India.
Van Nieuwkerk raises three questions: What are the benefits for an African nation taking up permanent seats on the Security Council? How would the continent contribute and what would it receive in return? Would it be able to set agendas and norms, or would it be forced to acquiesce to the demands of those who gave it a seat in the Council?
Africa already cooperates with the UN on serious issues such as conflict resolution, climate change, environmental challenges, trade relations, and exploitation of natural resources. Advocates for permanent African membership on the UN Security Council hope that, with permanent seats, Africans will be empowered to spotlight these issues and elicit global cooperation to address them.
Photo of UN Security Council vote in 2015 by Eskinder Debebe courtesy of the United Nations via Flickr.