The U.S. has endorsed the creation of two permanent seats for African states on the United Nations Security Council, along with one rotating seat for small island developing states. Despite years of discussions on council reform, progress has been slow, and there are doubts about whether U.S. backing will lead to tangible changes.
U.S. Ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, announced on Thursday that Washington supports this move. Speaking at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, she stated that the U.S. aims to “move this agenda forward to achieve Security Council reform at some point in the future.”
However, she could not specify how long it would take to secure a General Assembly vote on the resolution. Despite extensive discussions, little progress has been made on reforming the council, and it remains unclear if U.S. support will be sufficient to initiate real action.
The U.S. plan is supported by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who described the Security Council as having “a problem of legitimacy” and “a problem of effectiveness” that necessitates reform. Guterres previously called for Africa to have a permanent seat in August, arguing that such a move would address “historical injustices.”
Guterres noted that while the world has evolved since 1945, “the composition of the council, despite a few changes, has not kept pace.”
Paul Simon Handy, a researcher at the Institute for Security Studies, told RFI that reform could alter the council’s dynamics but added that Africa must secure support from two-thirds of the General Assembly. “Africa should be more active diplomatically to achieve this, similar to India or Japan,” Handy said.
The Security Council is the most powerful body in the UN, with authority to impose sanctions, enforce arms embargoes, and authorize the use of force. It currently has 15 members: five permanent members with veto power (Russia, China, the U.S., Britain, and France) and 10 elected members serving two-year terms.
Africa currently has three rotating seats, but Thomas-Greenfield argued that this is insufficient. “Non-permanent seats do not allow African countries to fully contribute their knowledge and voices to the council’s work,” she said.
She also supported a rotating seat for small island states, which she believes offer “critical insights on a range of international peace and security issues, including, notably, the impact of climate change.”
Developing nations have long sought permanent representation on the council. When the UN was founded in 1945, the council had just 11 members, increasing to 15 in 1965, a period when much of Africa was still under European colonial rule.
The African Union has advocated for two permanent seats and two additional non-permanent seats for the continent. The debate in mid-August was led by Sierra Leone’s President, Julius Maada Bio, who argued that “the time for half-measures and incremental progress is over. Africa must be heard, and its demands for justice and equity must be met.”
China has also been advocating for increased African representation in international bodies for months. The U.S. has long supported India, Japan, and Germany for permanent council seats and is now extending that support to African partners. Some view this as a diplomatic strategy to strengthen ties with African and Pacific nations amid growing competition with China.
However, many in Africa remain disillusioned with Washington’s foreign policy, particularly its support for Israel’s actions in Gaza. Pacific nations are also considered increasingly important to U.S. efforts to counter China’s influence in the region.
Handy told RFI that while the U.S. proposal is a step forward, it falls short of African expectations. “The veto is the key issue,” Handy said. “It appears to be a legacy move for the Biden administration.”
Washington has made it clear that it does not support expanding veto power beyond the five permanent members. Amending the UN Charter to add permanent seats would require approval from two-thirds of the General Assembly and ratification by the current permanent members. Given Russia’s frequent use of its veto, it remains uncertain whether Moscow would support a U.S.-driven proposal.
Even if momentum builds, determining which African countries would receive the two permanent seats could prove challenging. “Who gets them?” Ugandan journalist Charles Onyango-Obbo asked on social media. “The most populous, richest, those with the largest armies?”
Handy noted that the competition could be intense, with Nigeria and South Africa as long-time contenders, but also Algeria and Egypt vying for a spot. Nigeria and South Africa have been vying for this position for years, sometimes stirring up discord among other African nations to gain support.
The UN will celebrate its 80th anniversary in 2025, and President Bio has warned that this milestone will only be significant if the council is reformed by then.
