He Secretary General of the UN, António Guterres, called on Monday for an urgent reform of the Security Councilcriticizing its outdated structure and lack of representation from Africa, which he says, undermines the credibility and global legitimacy of the United Nations.
Addressing the Council, Guterres noted that its composition reflected the balance of power at the end of World War II and that it has failed to keep pace with a changing world.
“In 1945, most of today’s African countries were still under colonial rule. and they had no voice in international affairs,” he said.
“We cannot accept that the world’s principal peace and security body should lack a permanent voice for a continent of more than one billion people… Nor can we accept that Africa’s views are undervalued. in matters of peace and security, both on the continent and around the world,” he stressed.
Correcting injustice
Guterres stressed the need for reparations.
“To ensure the full credibility and legitimacy of this Council, it is necessary to heed the long-standing calls of the General Assembly of the United Nations, of various geographical groups – from the Arab Group to the Benelux, the Nordic countries and CARICOM – and of some permanent members of the Council itself, to correct this injustice,” he noted.
The UN leader recalled his policy brief, New Agenda for Peace, launched in July last year. That framework is at the heart of negotiations on the Future Pact, which will be adopted at next month’s Future Summit.
“The Summit offers a crucial opportunity to make progress on these issues and help ensure that all countries can participate meaningfully in global governance structures as equals“, he pointed out.
He also urged all Member States to attend and contribute their views and ideas so that African voices are heard, African initiatives are supported and African needs are met.
Guterres was speaking at a high-level debate on how to address historical injustice and enhance effective African representation on the Security Council, convened by Sierra Leone, the country holding the rotating presidency of the body for this month.
Composition of the Council
The Security Council is made up of 15 members, five permanent with veto power (China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States), and ten non-permanent members assigned regionally.
The regional allocation includes three seats for African States; two each for Asia and the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Western European and Other States; and one for Eastern European States.
The issue of equitable representation has been on the agenda for several years, including through the General Assembly’s open-ended working group and intergovernmental negotiations to address the issue.
There have been some modest reforms, such as the recent automatic calling of an Assembly debate every time a veto is issued.with the aim of improving transparency and accountability within the Council.
However, calls for major reform continue, particularly in underrepresented regions.
Key role of Africa
Following the Secretary-General’s participation, General Assembly President Dennis Francis addressed the Security Council to underscore Africa’s key role in global peace and security, echoing the need for reforms.
He cited his first-hand experiences in South Sudan, where he met displaced people a few weeks ago and witnessed the vital work of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).
Francis also shared insights from his meetings in Haiti, where he discussed the deployment of the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) following the adoption of Council resolution 2699.
These cases reflect the important and Africa’s growing role in addressing global security challenges, held.
Search for solutions
Assembly President Francis also noted that the body is actively addressing the issue through intergovernmental negotiations, and called on Member States to engage constructively in pursuit of substantial reform.
“Our goal is create solutions, through a well-designed process. And most importantly, to regain the trust of ‘we, the people’ in the United Nations,” he added.
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