The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, has reaffirmed Africa’s demand for deep reforms to the United Nations Security Council, describing the continent’s lack of permanent representation as a “historical injustice.”
Speaking on the sidelines of the Africa-France Summit in Nairobi, Youssouf chaired a ministerial meeting focused on Security Council reform, insisting that Africa was not asking for favors but demanding fair representation that reflects its demographic, political and economic importance.
Guided by the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration, the African Union continues to demand at least two permanent seats with full veto powers, as well as five non-permanent seats in an expanded Council.
Youssouf welcomed support from France, Kenya and Sierra Leone for what he described as the “African Model” of reform, calling for stronger political coordination and strategic alliances to transform growing international support into concrete action.
He stressed that the credibility and legitimacy of the Security Council depend on its ability to reflect modern geopolitical realities rather than the post-World War II order of 1945.
The UN Security Council currently consists of five permanent members — the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia and China — alongside ten rotating non-permanent members, while Africa, despite having more than 50 countries and over 1.5 billion people, still has no permanent seat.
