Africa Calls for Security Council Reform and Permanent Representation

Ethiomonitor -Addis Ababa 

September 23, 2025 

João Lourenço, President of Angola and Chairperson of the African Union (AU), has made a strong case for the reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to secure at least two permanent seats for Africa.
During his address to the 7th Summit of the AU Committee of Heads of State and Government on Security Council Reform in New York, Lourenço emphasized that Africa should be represented in the vital body.
“The continent has the right to be a member of that body, with all its prerogatives, including the right of veto,” he asserted, underlining the necessity of fair and equitable representation for African nations. Lourenço proposed that, in addition to permanent seats, Africa should also be allocated five non-permanent seats, empowering the continent to transition from being a passive subject of the Council’s decisions to an active participant.
“This demand is neither excessive nor symbolic; it is a legitimate right grounded in the current geopolitical reality that necessitates addressing this longstanding injustice,” he added.

Despite having 1.4 billion citizens, or roughly 17% of the total world population, and nearly one-third of the UN General Assembly members, Africa itself feels neglected in central decision-making within the Security Council. Lourenço expressed his frustration with this disparity, stating, “Two decades without concrete results may undermine the momentum of the process, but it is important to note that unity remains strong and unshakeable.”
He also highlighted Africa’s central position in Peacekeeping Operations and the point that the Security Council spends almost 70% of its agenda on African issues. Yet, with the continent’s exclusion from permanent membership on the council, it remains excluded from meaningful decision-making.
Lourenço’s appeal for reform is parallel to a growing international need to include African voices in global governance, confirming Africa’s resolve to achieve equitable representation in the world.