IR Scholars

— by Hana Girma Mamo —

“How is it that Africa, with 28% of the votes in the UN General Assembly and a population of 1.4 billion, still has no real voice in shaping its future at the global table, especially in the UN Security Council? After decades of raising this issue, from the post-independence era to today’s calls for reform, why does Africa remain sidelined in key decisions that affect its destiny?”

The United Nations (hereinafter the UN) is an international organization that was established on 24, October 1945 after the end of WWⅡ. Its primary aim is to promote peace, security, and cooperation among nations. As of 5 January 2025, the organization has 193 member states and each of them is a member of the General Assembly. In addition to maintaining peace and security, the UN is responsible for promoting human rights and providing humanitarian assistance. The organization is composed of 6 key organs having different mandates and responsibilities. The first organ is the General Assembly composed of all member states and it is the main deliberative organ of the UN responsible for policy making. Discussing and making recommendations on international issues such as peace, security, and development, appointing a secretary-general on the recommendation of the Security Council, approving the UN budget, and allocating to different programs and agencies are some of the key responsibilities of the General Assembly.  The second organ is the International Court of Justice (ICJ) which is the judicial organ of the UN and its main responsibilities include adjudicating legal disputes between states based on international law and giving advisory opinions on legal questions referred by UN organs or agencies. The third organ is the secretariat and it is responsible for the day-to-day activities of the organization. Fourthly there is the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the central platform for promoting sustainable development, economic progress as well as social cooperation. The fifth organ is the trusteeship council which was suspended on 1 November 1994 but still exists in the UN charter which was responsible for overseeing the administration of trust territories and guiding them toward self-governance and independence. The final organ and the main focus of this writing is the UN Security Council (hereinafter UNSC) which is responsible for maintaining peace and security of the world. Its main responsibilities include authorizing military interventions, sanctions, or peacekeeping missions, determining threats to peace and recommending measures to address them, passing binding resolutions that member states are required to comply with, and approving the admission of new UN member states. It is composed of 5 permanent members namely China, France, Russia, the UK, and the US each holding veto power, and ten rotating members elected for two years term. The UN Security Council has enormous political importance due to the mandate it holds in maintaining international peace and security. The decisions passed by this council like peacekeeping missions, economic sanctions and military intervention directly shape international political stability. The veto power of its five permanent members gives them significant global influence on global political affairs and it will directly affect the course of international diplomacy as well as conflict resolution. We can use the Russian-Ukrainian war as an example to illustrate how Russia is using its veto power to invade Ukraine and the international community is doing nothing to stop it or how the veto power became a shield for Russia. Africa holds many natural resources, has a rapidly growing population, and is a key continent in addressing so many world’s pressing challenges remains excluded from permanent representation in the UN Security Council and this exclusion is a reflection of an imbalance in global governance that undermines fairness and effectiveness.

To explore this issue, I will address key questions: Why is Africa excluded from the Security Council’s permanent membership? What is Africa’s role in global affairs? How can this imbalance be corrected? Using these WH questions, I aim to uncover the reasons behind this oversight and the path forward to a more equitable global order.

Why is Africa excluded from the Security Council’s permanent membership?

To understand the exclusion of Africa from the UN Security Council, it is important to look at the time when the UN was established. The structure of the UN was the reflection of the post-World War Ⅱ power dynamics. Permanent seats and veto power were granted to the victor of wwⅡ but African countries still in the colony had no political or economic power to have a say on the matter.

But what about now? What is the main reason for Africa not to join the UN Security Council? There are two reasons why Africa failed to join the UN Security Council despite raising the issue starting from the Sirte Declaration which was adopted by the Organization of African Unity (OAU) (which later became the African Union (AU)) at its summit in Sirte, Libya, in 1999 and this declaration laid the groundwork for Africa’s formal position on UN reforms. The reasons are as follows:-

1. Internal factor ( related to Africa itself)

Even though the continent is pushing the UNSC to reform its structure and include African countries with veto power, the countries have not been able to form a unified stance about how to approach the reform and which countries are going to represent the continent. Several African countries have expressed their interest in securing the UNSC permanent seat. Notably, Egypt, Nigeria, and South Africa have all laid claim to such positions each referring to their regional influence, economic power, and their contribution to the international peacekeeping missions. This can be seen in the 2005 G4 coalition which included Brazil, Japan, India, and Germany. The G4 coalition was established to advocate for reforms in the UNSC which aimed to secure a permanent seat. In this collaboration, there was an attempt to include Nigeria and South Africa as a representative of the African continent aiming at creating a greater coalition of G6. This effort was met with significant opposition from other African countries who took action against those two countries as if they were acting unilaterally for their agendas. Due to this, the AU conducted two extraordinary summits in 2005 to address the issue but the lack of consensus and the strong opposition to their pursuit of permanent seats from other African countries forced both Nigeria and South Africa to back down. This lack of unity weakens Africa’s collective bargaining power in global negotiation. Africa is a continent with extreme diversity both politically and economically and due to this fact, the interest of one state may significantly differ from other states depending on economic capacity and stability. Most of the time, this disparity makes it difficult to achieve any effort aimed at creating a common agenda.

2. External factors ( stemming from the global political environment )

The five permanent members of the UNSC Council have different perspectives concerning the reform of the UN Security Council. In September 2024, during his address to the UN General Assembly, President Joe Biden expressed strong support for expanding the UNSC to include African nations. He stated that the council “needs a new voice” to enhance legitimacy and effectiveness. According to Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, US Permanent Representative to the UN,  even though the US is open to expansion, it does not support any veto power to be granted to the new members. It seems the US stand is like “opening the door but not letting anyone through”. Both the UK and France support the expansion version of the US, on the other hand, China and Russia support greater representation without specifying their stand on the permanent seat and the veto power issue. From the standpoint of the five permanent members of the UNSC, it is clear that adding new permanent members, especially from Africa would reduce their dominance, particularly in terms of veto power which they are unwilling to compromise.

It is also equally important to look at other global powers like India, Brazil, and Germany who have way more influence than Africa in terms of economic development. As countries like India, Germany, and Brazil are emerging economies; they have also shown an interest in joining the UNSC to have more influence in global governance. They are claiming that their contribution to global governance is acknowledged through the permanent seat at the UNSC. So now the global community is grappling with the balance between regional representation (Africa) and the need to include new global powers.

What is Africa’s role in global affairs?

Historically and in recent times, Africa has often been considered a minor player, but does this mean the continent holds no significance to the international community? The answer is simply ‘No’. Africa’s importance is evident in the competition among the West, China, and Russia, all seeking to exert greater influence on the continent. Africa is home to 30% of the world’s minerals, 8% of the world’s natural gas, 12% of the world’s oil, 40% of the world’s gold, and 90% of the world’s chromium and platinum. These resources not only contribute to the global economy but also make Africa an increasingly important player in the geopolitical landscape, as major powers seek to secure access to these invaluable assets.

Secondly, the continent’s working-age population (15-64 years old) amounts to 849 million as of 2024 and this demographic advantage is very crucial for the continent as well as the global economic development if properly harnessed. As populations age in other parts of the world Africa’s force can fill the labor gap globally enhancing international economic interdependence.

Finally, Africa’s role in global affairs can also be dangerous in terms of migration. As climate change, conflict, and poverty increase migration flows, western countries are concerned about mass migration from Africa. This makes Africa the center of attention to Western countries, Russia and China. In conclusion, Africa’s immense natural resources, youthful workforce, and its role in global migration show its growing significance in international affairs. While the continent presents unparalleled opportunities for economic growth and global interdependence, it also holds challenges that demand collaborative solutions. As the world grapples with shifting geopolitical dynamics, Africa’s influence and potential cannot be ignored, making it a critical player in shaping the future of global development and stability.

How can this imbalance be corrected?

The foremost step for Africa is for its nations to prioritize regional and continental interests over national agendas. Before challenging the global community for UNSC reform, the African Union (AU) must establish a transparent and inclusive process to select representative countries based on criteria such as regional influence, economic capacity, and contributions to peacekeeping and diplomatic engagement. Simultaneously, African states, through the AU, must work collectively to enhance the continent’s stability, governance, and contributions to global affairs. This requires addressing internal conflicts, upholding democratic practices, and improving governance structures to bolster their credibility as global leaders.

The global community, in turn, must address the dominance of the current permanent members by ensuring Africa and other emerging global powers are granted equitable representation and equal rights, including veto power, for all permanent members. Additionally, NGOs, think tanks and international organizations should play a vital role in advocating for Africa’s rightful representation in the UNSC, fostering a fairer and more inclusive global order.

Sources:

1. UN Security Council: Structure and Function
   United Nations, The Security Council, 2023, https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/
2. Joe Biden’s Address on UNSC Reform, The White House, Remarks by President Biden Before the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, 19 September 2024, https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/ [accessed 6 January 2025].
3. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield’s StanceUnited Nations, Statement by Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield on UNSC Reform, 2024, https://usun.usmission.gov/ [accessed 6 January 2025].
4. Ezulwini Consensus and Sirte DeclarationAfrican Union, Decisions Adopted at the Sirte Summit, 1999, https://au.int/ [accessed 6 January 2025].
5. Africa’s Natural ResourcesWorld Bank, The Growing Importance of Africa’s Resources, 2023, https://www.worldbank.org/ [accessed 6 January 2025].
6. Youth Population StatisticsUnited Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), World Population Dashboard 2024, https://www.unfpa.org/world-population-dashboard [accessed 6 January 2025].
7. Global Powers and UNSC ReformInternational Crisis Group, Competing for Influence: UNSC Reform in a Multipolar World, 2024, https://www.crisisgroup.org/ [accessed 6 January 2025].
8. China and Russia’s Position on UNSC ReformXinhua News, China and Russia Call for Balanced Representation in UNSC, 2024, https://www.xinhuanet.com/ [accessed 6 January 2025].
9. African Migration Concerns
   International Organization for Migration (IOM), Africa and Migration: Trends and Challenges, 2023, https://www.iom.int/ [accessed 6 January 2025].