UN: AU Calls for Security Council Reform
The 80th United Nations (UN) General Assembly began today, September 22, and will run until September 30, 2025, in New York. Leaders from more than 200 countries will gather to discuss important issues on the global agenda, including reform of the Security Council (SC).
The debate over the UN Security Council is not new. For more than three decades, there has been talk of the need to revise the architecture of the world's leading decision-making body for peace and security, but negotiations have remained blocked by divergent interests and a lack of consensus among the permanent members.
Meanwhile, Africa continues to occupy a paradoxical position: it is one of the largest contributors to peacekeeping operations and one of the continents most frequently present on the crisis agenda, but it is not entitled to permanent representation.
It was in this context that Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Chair of the African Union Commission, met with António Guterres, Secretary-General of the UN, and later participated in a tripartite meeting with Ursula von der Leyen and António Costa, representing the European Union.
The objective was clear: to project a cohesive African voice, demand structural reforms, and mobilize support for causes that go beyond security, extending to climate finance, debt relief, and global trade reform.
Africa and the Security Council
The possible reform of the Security Council has been discussed at the UN for more than three decades, but so far little progress has been made, with numerous competing proposals on the table and no serious negotiations on the matter ever being held.
In recent years, in addition to African countries, states such as China, Germany and France have also expressed support for Africa's permanent representation on the Council.
On this subject, and also in New York, Kenyan President William Ruto, who will attend the 80th United Nations General Assembly this week, said this Monday, in a meeting with African leaders, that Africa's exclusion from the UN Security Council is "unacceptable."
"The exclusion of Africa from the United Nations Security Council is unacceptable and indefensible . "
Ruto emphasized this at the 7th Summit of the Committee of Ten Heads of State and Government of the African Union (C-10) on Security Council Reform. The Kenyan leader emphasized that Africa carries a disproportionate weight on the Council's agenda and that it makes no sense to continue to be a mere spectator to decisions that directly impact its own crises.
For Ruto, the solution lies in uniting African leaders around a common position and championing that voice in all available multilateral platforms. The current situation reflects a post-World War II reality that no longer reflects the contemporary geopolitical balance.
This framework, composed of 15 members, has five permanent members — the United States of America, the United Kingdom, France, China and Russia — with veto power and 10 non-permanent members, assigned to regional groups that rotate for two-year periods.
The fact that Africa continues to lack permanent representation in a body that decides on sanctions, military interventions, and peace resolutions represents, for many analysts, a blatant contradiction. It is also a limitation that weakens the multilateral system itself, as it compromises the legitimacy of its decisions.
Global Financial Architecture
During a bilateral meeting with Guterres, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf again presented his principled position: Africa's exclusion from the Security Council is unsustainable.
The two leaders revisited the points that have been central to this demand, such as the creation of a fairer financial architecture and the need to prioritize financing for AU-led peacekeeping operations.
Beyond institutional reform, the debates in New York showed that Africa requires a comprehensive approach. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf highlighted the unsustainable burden of African debt, classifying it as a central obstacle to growth.
António Guterres shared this view, agreeing that unfair credit ratings and current financial mechanisms do not offer adequate responses to African realities. Climate finance was also on the table. African leaders emphasized that the continent is the region that contributes the least to global emissions but suffers the most from climate shocks.
The prolonged drought in the Horn of Africa, the floods in Mozambique, and the cyclones in the Indian Ocean are examples of how climate change directly affects vulnerable communities, putting lives, crops, and infrastructure at risk. The AU advocates that climate finance should be strengthened not only for mitigation, but especially for adaptation and compensation for losses and damages.
The trade dimension has not been forgotten either. The African Union considers it urgent to review global trade rules, which are often structured to favor advanced economies at the expense of developing countries.
In this sense, coordination with the European Union and the UN sought to build an agenda that articulates the African vision with broader commitments at a global level.
Tripartite Meeting
The meeting between the AU, the UN, and the European Union stood out as a crucial moment during the diplomatic week. The meeting brought together Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, António Guterres, Ursula von der Leyen, and António Costa to discuss the most pressing conflicts on the African continent.
There was consensus on Sudan, regarding the need to intensify diplomatic pressure for an immediate ceasefire and a credible political process. In the Sahel, the organizations committed to strengthening coordination to combat instability and support reconciliation initiatives.
Regarding Libya, the priority was to support the revitalization of the UN-led political process, while also emphasizing the urgency of addressing migration flows in a humanitarian and orderly manner. The situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo was also highlighted, with recognition of ongoing African and international mediation efforts.
In the case of Somalia, the importance of ensuring sustainable funding for the African Union Stabilization and Support Mission was highlighted, as it is essential to consolidate security gains.
The tripartite meeting was not limited to immediate crises. The three blocs also discussed the role of women in peacebuilding, evoking the 25th anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 1325, which enshrined the importance of women's participation in peace and security processes.
The need to prepare ambitious commitments for COP30 in Brazil was also reaffirmed, reinforcing the link between climate, security and sustainable development.
Conclusion
The meetings in New York, at UN headquarters, confirmed that Africa no longer accepts remaining on the periphery of global decision-making. The call for Security Council reform is just the most visible face of a broader agenda that includes climate finance, debt relief, trade justice, and greater autonomy in peacekeeping operations.
The African Union, by articulating its position with the UN and the European Union, has shown that it is prepared to play a central role in 21st-century multilateralism.
The challenge now is to transform these declarations into concrete commitments, correcting historical inequalities and ensuring that the future of global security and development truly has a place for Africa at the decision-making table.
Will Africa convince the UN this time? We want to know your opinion, do not hesitate to comment and if you liked the article, share and give a “like/like”.
Picture: © 2025 UN
