Kenyan President William Ruto said Africa's exclusion from the UN Security Council is "unacceptable" during a meeting with African leaders in New York, where he will attend the 80th United Nations General Assembly this week.
"Africa's exclusion from the United Nations Security Council is unacceptable and indefensible," Ruto stressed at the 7th Summit of the Committee of Ten Heads of State and Government of the African Union (C-10) on Security Council Reform, according to the president's revelation this morning on the social network X.
"We must correct this historical injustice so that the UN can fulfill its role," the Kenyan president asserted, emphasizing that African leaders must "amplify Africa's voice on all platforms, unite for fair representation, and defend the common African position."
In his address to the C-10, the president argued that Africa has "a disproportionate share of the Security Council's agenda and is one of the largest contributors to UN peacekeeping operations."
However, he lamented, "we remain the only continent without permanent representation. This historic injustice must end. The time to act is now."
The possible reform of the Security Council has been discussed at the UN for more than three decades, but so far there has been little progress, with numerous competing proposals on the table and no serious negotiations ever having been held.
The Council is composed of fifteen members: five permanent members with veto power—the United States, the United Kingdom, France, China, and Russia—and ten non-permanent members assigned to regional groups who rotate for two-year terms.
In recent years, not only African countries but also states such as China, Germany, and France have expressed their support for permanent African representation on the Council.
The 80th United Nations General Assembly will take place from September 22 to 30 in New York, where leaders from more than 200 countries will gather.
