For nearly 80 years, the UN Security Council has operated with five permanent members (P5), wielding veto power over the world’s most pressing issues. These countries—China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States—have maintained their dominance over global decisions, even as the political and economic landscape of the world has shifted dramatically. While Washington has recently floated the idea of adding permanent seats for African countries, it stops short of offering veto power. This partial inclusion raises the question: why invite Africa to the table without allowing it to speak?
As monitored by Instablog Ghana on an Al Jazeera report, the outdated arrangement of the Security Council no longer reflects the realities of today’s world. Africa, home to 1.4 billion people, continues to lack full representation in the body tasked with maintaining international peace and security. The time has come for real reform—reform that grants Africa not just a seat, but a voice.
Calls for Africa’s representation with full veto power are not new. However, the proposal to create permanent African seats without veto power undermines the essence of equality. Denying veto rights perpetuates a hierarchy that disrespects the continent and its people. As Ambassador Arikana Chihombori-Quao, former AU Ambassador to the US, aptly put it: “Inviting Africa to the table but asking it to remain mute is an insult.”
Moreover, Africa’s inclusion on the Council with veto power would align with its growing role on the global stage. The continent’s economies are on the rise, its political influence expanding, and its strategic importance undeniable. The refusal to grant veto power to African countries reflects not only the Security Council’s outdated structure but also an unwillingness to relinquish colonial legacies of control and dominance.
As we approach an era where global power is distributed beyond the confines of the P5, the Security Council must evolve. The inclusion of African nations with full rights, including veto power, would mark a significant step toward a more just and representative international system. The days of a few countries dictating the terms of global governance must come to an end, and Africa’s rightful place must be acknowledged—fully, and without compromise.
It’s time for the UN to live up to its ideals of fairness and equality by reforming the Security Council to reflect the diverse voices of the 21st century. Anything less than full representation for Africa is simply unacceptable.