Guterres Backs Africa’s Bid for Permanent Seat on UN Security Council

ADDIS ABABA – UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has denounced Africa’s ongoing exclusion from permanent representation on the United Nations Security Council, calling it an unjustifiable imbalance that must be rectified. Speaking at the 38th Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) Assembly in Ethiopia’s capital, Guterres pledged to continue working with the AU and UN member states to secure at least two permanent seats for Africa.

African leaders have long criticized the Security Council as dysfunctional and unrepresentative, arguing that nearly 80 years after its creation, the body fails to reflect Africa’s growing geopolitical and economic influence. The AU summit also addressed the bloc’s role in the G20 following its recent permanent membership and reviewed progress on the “Silencing the Guns” initiative, which aims to end armed conflicts across the continent by 2030.

With 54 nations and a population of 1.4 billion, Africa remains a major stakeholder in global affairs. However, its continued absence from the Security Council’s permanent membership underscores a persistent global power imbalance. Guterres’ remarks signal renewed pressure for reform, as African states push for fairer representation in international governance.