Full Breakdown
Africa’s Renewed Push for Permanent Seats on the UN Security Council
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event – Demands at the 81st UN General Assembly
During the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, African leaders called for the Security Council to include at least two permanent African seats with veto power. Vice-President Kashim Shettima delivered President Bola Tinubu’s statement on September 25, 2026, reiterating Nigeria’s demand. President William Ruto (Kenya) and President John Mahama (Ghana) made similar appeals, and the African Union (AU) reaffirmed its “Ezulwini Consensus” for two permanent seats and five non-permanent seats for the continent.
Background & Context – Why the Issue Re-emerges Now
The Council’s composition—five permanent members and ten elected members—has remained unchanged since 1945. Africa, representing 54 of the UN’s 193 members and over 1.5 billion people, holds three of the ten non-permanent seats. In 2025 the Council adopted 44 resolutions, 18 of which were Chapter VII measures concerning African crises, highlighting the continent’s role in the agenda. The AU’s “Ezulwini Consensus” (2005) and the “Sirte Declaration” (2005) call for two permanent African seats with veto privileges if the veto remains.
Data & Statistics – The Scale of Africa’s Representation Gap
- 54 African UN members (? 28 % of the Assembly)
- 1.5 billion Africans (? 18 % of world population)
- 3 African non-permanent seats on the 15-member Council
- 60 % of Security Council discussions in 2025 involved African issues
- 18 of 24 Chapter VII resolutions in 2025 concerned Africa
Official Statements & Responses – Positions of Key Actors
- UN Secretary-General António Guterres (address on September 22, 2026) called the current structure “unjust and indefensible” and urged reform.
- AU Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf said any new African permanent members must receive the same privileges as the P5, including the veto.
- Nigeria highlighted its contributions to peace operations in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Darfur, Mali and The Gambia as justification for a permanent seat.
- South Africa’s International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola stressed that most Council mandates concern African conflicts and that “meaningful African representation” is essential for legitimacy.
- Egypt, South Africa and other regional powers have expressed interest in the prospective seats; the AU will decide the selection mechanism.
Criticism & Opposition – Divergent Views Among the P5 and Others
- United States publicly supported two new African permanent seats under the previous administration, but its current stance is unclear.
- Russia backs expanding permanent membership but insists the veto system be retained.
- China welcomes greater African representation but has not endorsed extending veto rights.
- France and the United Kingdom propose reforms that could limit or suspend the veto in cases of mass atrocities, diverging from the AU’s demand for equal veto privileges.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps – What Remains Unresolved
- The exact U.S. position after the 2024 administration change is uncertain.
- The P5 have not agreed on how—or whether—to amend the UN Charter to accommodate new permanent seats with veto rights.
- No consensus exists on which African states would occupy the permanent seats; Nigeria, South Africa, Egypt, Kenya and others have been mentioned, but the AU has not finalized a selection process.