African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf has renewed Africa’s call for major reforms to the United Nations Security Council, describing the continent’s continued lack of permanent representation as a “historical injustice.” Speaking during a ministerial meeting on the sidelines of the Africa-France Summit in Nairobi, Youssouf said Africa is demanding fair representation in global decision-making structures rather than seeking special treatment. The African Union’s position, guided by the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration, calls for at least two permanent seats for Africa with full veto powers, as well as five additional non-permanent seats in an expanded Security Council.
Youssouf argued that the current structure of the Security Council no longer reflects modern geopolitical realities, noting that Africa has more than 50 countries and a population exceeding 1.5 billion people yet remains without a permanent voice in the UN’s most powerful decision-making body. He welcomed support from countries including France, Kenya, and Sierra Leone for what the AU describes as the “African Model” for reform. He also urged African states to strengthen political coordination and build strategic alliances to convert growing international backing into concrete institutional change.
The United Nations Security Council currently consists of five permanent members, the United States, United Kingdom, France, Russia, and China, all of whom hold veto powers established after World War II in 1945. Ten additional members serve rotating non-permanent terms. African leaders have long argued that the current structure marginalizes the continent despite its growing demographic, political, and economic influence and the fact that many Security Council discussions focus on African conflicts and peacekeeping operations.
