US seeks two permanent seats for Africa in UN security council

The United States says it will support the creation of two permanent seats for Africa on the United Nations (UN) security council.

Linda Thomas-Greenfield, US ambassador to the UN, spoke on Thursday while delivering a speech to the council on foreign relations.

The ambassador also said the US will support the inclusion of a first-ever non-permanent seat for a small developing island nation.

Each year, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) elects five new members from different geographical zones for two-year terms on the council.

Africa has three rotational seats in the 15-member council.

“The problem is these elected seats don’t enable African countries to deliver the full benefit of their knowledge and voices to the work of the council, to consistently lead on the challenges that affect all of us — and disproportionately affect Africa,” Thomas-Greenfield said.

CLAMOUR FOR INCLUSION 

Africa has long clamoured for equal representation in what is believed to be the most powerful UN body.

In 2017, Tijjani Bande, Nigeria’s then-permanent representative to the UN, described the security council as old-fashioned and undemocratic.

Bande asked the UN not to cede veto power to a few countries.

Babatunde Nurudeen, permanent representative of Nigeria to ECOWAS, had also demanded a restructuring and expansion of the UN security council.

Nurudeen said it would correct the injustices to Africa and reflect the interests of the constituent regions.

Ibrahim Gambari, chief of staff to former President Muhammadu Buhari, pointed out that Nigeria’s projection to be the third most populous nation in the world after India and China by 2050, is a strong enough case for the country not to be excluded from the international decision making table.

Other African countries have also called for inclusion. Last month, Julius Bio, Sierra Leone’s president, called Africa the “unquestionable victim” of an imbalanced, outdated, and unrepresentative security council structure.

While there is a consensus that the council needs to reformed, discussions have been watered down over differences on how much to expand the group, what countries to include, and what powers it should have.

‘WE BELIEVE IT IS JUST’

“For years, countries have been calling for a more inclusive and a more representative council, one that reflects the demographics of today’s world and better respond to the challenges that we face today,” Thomas-Greenfield told the council on foreign relations.

The US ambassador said Africa’s exclusion from the council is a disservice to the continent.

“That is why, in addition to non-permanent membership for African countries, the United States supports creating two permanent seats for Africa on the council,” she added.

“It’s what our African partners seek, and it’s what we believe is just.”

The UN security council is charged with maintaining international peace and security and has the power to impose sanctions, arms embargoes, and authorise the use of force.

The council is made up of 10 elected states serving two-year terms and five permanent veto-wielding nations in Russia, China, France, the US, and the UK.