US calls for Africa to get two permanent UN Security Council seats

Washington called Thursday for two new permanent seats on the UN Security Council for African nations, alongside a rotating seat for island states — but insisted they not have a veto.

The proposals would transform the 15-member top body of the global organization which has been largely unchanged for decades and is mired in dysfunction and disagreements between existing permanent members.

The new African representatives should not wield veto power over council resolutions, unlike the current permanent members — Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States — US officials have said.

“I’m announcing the United States supports three additional changes to the Security Council,” said Washington’s ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, at the Council on Foreign Relations think-tank.

This would include “creating two permanent seats for Africa,” she said.

African nations already have three non-permanent seats on the Security Council, allocated on a rotating basis for two year terms.

In addition, “the United States supports creating a new elected seat on the Security Council for small island developing states,” Thomas-Greenfield said.

Reform of the Security Council, long-stalled because of differences among its permanent members, would need to be ratified unanimously among the five top-tier powers — all nuclear armed.

A change in membership would first require adoption and ratification by two-thirds of the 193 member states.

Washington has notably said it is opposed to allowing any new members the veto power enjoyed by the five permanent members, claiming it would cause gridlock.

“We’ve been very, very clear that we do not support expansion of the veto,” Thomas-Greenfield said.

“We have veto power as well, and none of the permanent members want to give up their veto power — including us. I’m being honest about that.”

– ‘Matter of justice’ –
Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio told the Security Council in August that “Africa wants the veto abolished.”

“However, if UN Member States wish to retain the veto, it must be extended to all new Permanent Members as a matter of justice,” he said.

The United Nations said Washington’s call was a positive step for African representation.

“The announcement is an important one, it’s welcome,” said a spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

“All of the details of how this will work will have to be decided by member states,” Stephane Dujarric told a briefing.

“It goes along the lines of what (Guterres) has said, lamenting the lack of African representation.”

In September 2022, US President Joe Biden threw his weight behind reform of the council, supporting calls for permanent seats for Africa and Latin America, without giving details.

Russia has previously called for African nations to be cautious of new seats on the council if granted alongside seats to longstanding US allies like Japan and Germany, which Washington has sought.

“It will not be possible to address historical injustice towards Africa while simultaneously allowing new Western members to join the UN Security Council,” Russian deputy ambassador to the UN Dmitry Polyansky said previously.