At the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in September, appeals for Africa to gain two permanent seats on the UN Security Council (UNSC) grew louder, with leaders from Asia, Latin America, and Africa advocating for systemic equality.

Demands for fair representation have become Africa’s most persistent diplomatic priority at the United Nations since the African Union adopted the Ezulwini Consensus in 2005. At the September sitting, Kenyan President William Ruto reminded delegates that the equality proclaimed in the General Assembly ends at the Security Council doors.

Ruto argued that Africa’s 54 countries comprise almost a quarter of the UN’s membership, and its people represent about one-fifth of humanity. Nevertheless, the continent still has no permanent Security Council seat.

“That imbalance might have reflected the world of 1945; it does not reflect the world of today. Reform must lead to equitable and permanent representation for Africa, with all the prerogatives and privileges of permanent Council membership,” Ruto told the session.

Ghana President John Dramani Mahama said Africa’s exclusion from permanent membership of the Security Council was “fundamentally unacceptable in the 21st century,” calling for permanent representation with full rights and veto powers.

“Security Council reform is not a favor to Africa; it is an imperative for the legitimacy, credibility, and survival of the United Nations,” Mahama said.

Outgoing UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres observed that the Security Council, designed in the aftermath of World War II, must be reformed to reflect today’s world with the legitimacy and effectiveness that today’s challenges demand.

“When the UN was founded, most of Africa was still under........

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